Pawns
by devonshire64
Summary: Part 7 of the Something Lost Series. In the time of war, alliances falter and secrets are revealed. And sometimes battles must remain unfinished.
1. Chapter 1

_Hello there everyone. well, i have a few chaps of this written so i thought, hey, why not start it. what can i say. i cant help but post ;). this is the next story in the 'Something Lost' series, and features my character Kerri. this chappy is a short intro, more to come soon. as always let me know what you all think. :)_

**D: as always, this is just for fun. sam, dean and the supernatural world belongs to the CW and kripke. **

**PAWNS **

Chapter 1

Kerri Harrison sat alone in the dining room of the large house, the structure around her creaking and moaning as the late afternoon winds butted up against it. She pulled her sweater tighter around her body as she sat, the chill of the old house seeping down into her. She loved her home, she always had, but times had changed and the twenty-nine year old couldn't help but feel it. When she was young her house had always been full, always been alive, voices echoing through it at all hours. Now though, it was unbelievably silent and empty.

There were nights when she swore she could still hear them, like shadows living on long after their owners had passed through. It was nothing more than a quiet echo from a distant past, but sometimes, it was all Kerri had. Even now that Dean and Sam had returned her life, while fuller, still seemed to be lacking. She had lost her father and sister, had lost everything, and even her long time friends couldn't fill the ever growing void inside her.

A loud knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts. She glanced once more at the manila folders she had on the table before her, checking that they were all there before moving toward the basement.

"Hey, Kerri." The dark haired man at the door smiled, extending a hand to her.

"Hi, Steven." Kerri smiled, moving to the side to let the hunter pass. Even though her father had gone to great lengths to ensure the safety of the house, the number of incantations and symbols numbering into the hundreds, Kerri still held her breath when someone moved to enter. Her father had caught a demon trying to enter when she was a child, and Kerri knew it was something she never wanted to experience again.

"Thanks again for this." Steven smiled, following Kerri up the back steps. "I know it's really last minute."

"It's no trouble. The info wasn't that hard to find."

"Yeah, I didn't think it would be. I just didn't have the time to search around a library. And I know how much you love looking stuff up."

"You're laying it on pretty thick, what else do you want?" Kerri joked, opening one of the folders on the table.

"I just don't want to be on the wrong side of the researching wonder woman."

"Yeah, alright."

"So, what'd you find?"

"Basic salt and burn. Eli Harley was killed in the house, sliced into little bits by his wife's lover. Six months ago, someone bought the property and started knocking out the walls."

"And found good old Eli inside?"

"You got it. He didn't have any more family so the city buried him in a municipal lot. I've got the address and all."

"So, all I need's a can of salt and some matches."

"Hey, shopping isn't my department."

"Guess I can't ask that much of you."

"Guessed right." Kerri smiled, moving into the kitchen. She worked for a few minutes, her back to Steven, but she could still sense a presence behind her.

"Did you still need something?" she asked, turning toward him, alarmed to see how close he had moved.

"Something like that," he stated vaguely, his eyes taking on a hungry look.

"Steve," Kerri stated, relaxing slightly. She'd known the hunter for years, the slightly older man having come to her home on countless occasions. He'd always been a little awkward when it came to her, and, while she thought it was kind of cute, this new boldness was unnerving. "I'm flattered, really, but you need to go now."

"Do I?" He breathed, moving a little closer.

"Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure you do," Kerri stated, trying to move past the hunter.

"What's wrong, Ker?"

"You're creeping me out, that's what's wrong."

"You don't have to be afraid, Kerri. I just want a little taste."

Kerri's eyes grew wide with horror, her heart beginning to race when she saw a set of fangs descend over Steven's teeth, his hungry eyes boring into her. But there was no way--.

"You can't be here."

"Oh, but I am." The vampire smiled, moving closer still, Kerri's back butting up against the wall as the creature before her advanced.

Dean had checked over all the protections around the house after the Korrigan; there was no way the creature before her should have been able to get in. She shrank back when he gripped her shoulders, his nails digging into her skin, soaking her shirt and sweater with blood. She fought to remain calm as he leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear, his hot breath racing down her neck.

"You know, I would have expected more of a fight from you."

"Oh, don't worry," Kerri answered, pulling her knee up into Steven's gut with all the force she could muster. The kick distracted him for only a second, but it was enough for Kerri to slip past him.

"Ha, that's the Kerri I know," Steven grunted, his deadly eyes turning toward her once more.

The two stood a few feet apart, Steven poised for attack, Kerri, to defend herself. Every muscle in her body was tense, her heart racing as adrenaline pumped through her veins. She didn't have the strength to fight off a vampire, but if she could get to the gun Dean had insisted she keep on hand, then she could at least try to slow him down.

She moved when he did, diving to the back bookcase, and hidden gun, as he pounced. She turned the instant she felt the cold metal in her hand, pulling the trigger as the hunter landed on her. But instead of his body jerking back, it dissipated like a spirit.

"What the hell?" Kerri breathed, her voice shaking as she pushed herself to her feet. She scanned the room, gun at the ready. She had no idea what was going on. One minute the hunter before her was a vampire, the next he was a spirit. And, the last time she checked, things couldn't switch back and forth like that, especially between something that was undead and something that was, well, dead.

She moved forward cautiously, her eyes falling on the counter where her phone was laying. She knew help was probably a hundred miles away or more, but she needed to call just the same. She reached for the phone, her heart nearly stopping when it suddenly skidded out of reach.

"Give me a little credit."

Kerri spun at the voice, her blue eyes meeting Steven's cold black ones. "What the hell are you?" Kerri ground out, moving away from the hunter once more, trying to make her way to the closed parlor door. She knew the room was lined with salt, and no matter how long ago she'd laid the barrier, she was certain that whatever it was that stood before her wouldn't be able to cross it.

"I'm whatever you want me to be, Kerri."

"Alright, I want you to be gone."

"Clever, but wrong answer."

"Worth a try." Kerri forced a smirk, backing up as she spoke. Unfortunately, Steven knew exactly what she was planning.

With a wave of his hand, Kerri went flying. She crashed through the heavy parlor door, her back arching in pain as she slammed against the hard wooden floor. She stayed where she landed for several seconds, blinking back the darkness that threatening to overtake her.

She searched the room after her vision cleared, her gaze falling on Steven almost immediately. He was pacing back and forth in front of the open doorway, almost like a caged animal preparing to strike. Kerri slid back along the floor, her eyes never leaving those of the demon before her. She's lost both her cell phone and gun when she went through the door, and she was more than certain she wouldn't be able to outrun the thing in front of her, even if she did managed to get outside. No, she was trapped, but hell, at least it couldn't physically get to her now.

"Well, this is a predicament," The hunter spoke, his eyes still demon black.

"Guess so."

"You know what I love most about your kind?" Steven laughed, stopping in front of the doorway. "You believe whatever you see.

"But, Kerri, not everything is black and white. I mean, sure, salt can keep out most things; demons, spirits, hell, even some vampires. Yet, as far as you know, I'm nothing but a man."

Kerri's eyes grew wide in horror when Steven's eyes switched back to their normal hue, the man before her smiling sinisterly before stepping over the salt lines.


	2. Chapter 2

_here's the second chapter of pawns, everybody. thank you all so much for the great reviews:D as always, let me know what you think._

**PAWNS**

Chapter 2

"It's not like she's gonna throw us out, Sam," Dean chided, turning up the long dirt road, following a path he'd memorized nearly a lifetime before.

"All I'm saying is that we should start giving her a heads up before we just drop in."

"Why?"

"Because it's polite."

"We're talking about Kerri, Sam."

"Just because you know her doesn't mean you can't be nice."

"You're such a girl. Alright, princess, I'll give her a heads up," Dean smirked, pulling out his phone as Sam huffed.

Dean's smirk faded as the phone rang, the voicemail eventually picking up. He couldn't explain the feeling creeping over him. There could be lots of reason why she wasn't answering, deep down he knew that. But, ever since the painting, he'd been worried about her. And the Demon showing up again wasn't filling him with confidence, either.

He'd spent nearly a week going over her house, checking every inch of the structure, top to bottom. Tom Harrison had shown him each and every protection that had been laid over the house when they were younger, and Dean never forgot a single sigil. The senior Harrison had trusted Dean with his daughters, had trusted him with his family, and he would be damned if he ever let Tom down.

But then, Dean thought, slowing to take a turn, he had already let the other hunter down. He'd left, and while he had had every intention of returning someday, the simple fact was, that Dean had been too late. Evelyn and Tom were gone, and Kerri had been forced to endure over two years of solitude. He'd promised when they were children to keep her safe, and he hadn't.

Dean hung up and dialed again, pushing down on the accelerator when Kerri once again failed to answer.

"What?" Sam asked, sitting up straighter. "What's wrong?"

"She's not answering."

"Maybe she's busy?"

Dean could tell by the tone of his brother's voice that Sam didn't believe the statement either. The older Winchester's mind raced when they came around the bend, Kerri's house coming slowly into view. He couldn't, wouldn't, fail her again. He'd already let her down, had already brought her into a danger he had once sworn to protect her from. He needed her to be ok, needed her to be safe, because he didn't know what he would do if he ever lost her.

From their vantage point everything looked normal, but Dean knew looks could be deceiving. Hell, that was the story of their lives. He pulled the impala around the back of the house, his heartbeat growing faster when he saw Kerri's car sitting by one of the back sheds. The entire house was eerily silent, the fields around it hushed, nothing moving except for a light breeze. Something was wrong, he could feel it.

"Dean."

Sam's voice broke through his mind. His brother was climbing slowly from the car, his eyes locked on the building before them, body tensing as he pulled two guns from the glove compartment. And one look at the house told Dean why. The back basement door was opened, swinging on the slowly growing breeze. In that instant, all of Dean's fears were realized.

He signaled to Sam, taking the gun from his brother and moving quietly toward the door. The brothers made their way slowly up the back stairs, Dean's body tensing when he saw the door at the top of the stairs was also ajar. Kerri had never, in all the time he'd known her, left the door open. Maybe one or the other, but never both. Something was wrong, he could feel it in his bones, and he couldn't help the dread that fell over him.

She'd been left vulnerable for too long, the young girl open to too many of their enemies. He and Sam were hunted by the FBI, the Yellow Eyed Demon, and who knew how many hunters; and Kerri was a stationary target. It was a reality that had been eating away at the older Winchester ever since the Demon returned, playing them all like puppets for reasons Dean couldn't figure out. They were a danger to her, but for the life of him, Dean just couldn't stay away.

Dean's heart beat fast when he entered the kitchen, his senses going on alert at the sight before him. The place was trashed. Drawers and cabinets were thrown open, their contents scattered around the room, covering the floor in a menagerie of artifacts, papers, and household appliances. The back bookcase was in pieces, the glass fronted cabinet that had once stood beside in now laying in shards on the old wooden floor. But, what caught Dean's eye the most, also sent chills down him spine.

The heavy door to the parlor, the door that had been closed ever since he had returned to Valley, was broken-- cracked and splintered like something had been thrown through it, hard. Dean wanted to run, wanted to shout out Kerri's name, to have her answer him with some stupid, sarcastic remark, getting on him for worrying so much. He needed to get to that door, needed to see what was on the other side of the long hidden room, but his hunter's instincts won out.

There could be any number of things waiting for him on the other side of that door, and the chances of it being something good were pretty slim. He moved ahead of Sam, signaling the younger man to check the back room. While his brother went to the far side of the kitchen without hesitation, Dean knew that Sam could see through his actions. He knew, deep in his heart, that there was a very real possibility that Kerri was beyond the broken door, and he also knew that there was an equally good chance that she wouldn't be smiling and safe when they found her.

Dean didn't want to face that outcome ever in his life, and he didn't want Sam to face it either.

He leaned back against the door, clearing his mind, breathing in slowly as he tried to calm his nerves. Whatever was waiting for him on the other side, he'd been too late to make a difference. With one final, deep breath, he turned.

Dean didn't know whether to laugh or cry when he found the room empty. He had been so ready to find a body, sure he'd finally lost her, that fate had once again stolen away what he could have had. But, while the room was lacking of a body, it was still ominously full. Dean's eyes drifted over the scene before him, his heart beating faster and faster as he stepped over the salt line. A person had done this, nothing else could have.

The older Winchester could feel his anger rise, his fear and adrenaline quickly morphing into something else entirely. A person had done this. His eyes drifted over the floor, taking in everything that was in front of him. Blood mixed with layers of dust, medical gloves and bags scattered around the space the only reminders of what had happened there.

"Dean?" Sam's voice sounded strangely distant in the room, muffled by the heavy air. "Dean?"

"She's gotta be here somewhere," Dean mumbled, turning from the room, and heading up the main staircase.

The entire front half of the house was covered with at least three inches of dust, the heavy blanket completely undisturbed as Dean moved through the house. It was a strange sight for the twenty nine year old to see. He had remembered running through those halls, laying at the top of those stairs as he listened to his father at night, intrigued by the stories John and the other hunters told.

He could remember Sam and Evelyn fighting at each corner, racing down the wide halls with their big wheels, the pair wreaking havoc wherever they went. Now though, it was empty, dark, and silent. There was no more laughter, no more stories, no more living. It was all just nothing.

"Kerri!" Dean called, pushing through what looked like the wall into the back portion of the house.

He could still remember each and every inch of Kerri's home, even though he hadn't set foot in some rooms since he was a child. All the doors from the back part of the house to the front looked like the wall, but Dean could find them all with his eyes closed. It had been the only place to feel like home since his mother had died, the only place he could ever remember being normal, accepted, and he was afraid now that the last bit of that childhood would be gone.

"Kerri!" Dean yelled again and again, searching every floor, every room. But she wasn't there, and he'd known that from the start.

"Anything?" Sam asked as Dean came down the back stairs.

"No," Dean rubbed his hands over his face, turning back to the parlor. He needed to know where she was, the need to find her consuming him. At that moment, he didn't care what had happened in the house, all he wanted was to find Kerri.

"I was looking around down here. She's probably at the hospital, Dean," Sam came up behind his brother, the two surveying the mess of paraphernalia left behind.

"Just keep your hands were I can see them." A new voice broke through behind the brothers, Dean switching gears instantly as the gruff words were spoken. He was definitely not in the mood to deal with a little podunk sheriff at the moment.

"We're just looking for our friend." Sam spoke first, shooting Dean a keep-your-mouth-shut look before turning around slowly, his hands raised above his head.

"Don't get any funny ideas there, boy."

"I'm not. I swear, we're just looking for a friend."

"And what business does this 'friend' of yours have here?"

"She lives her," Dean ground out, ignoring Sam as he turned to face the sheriff.

"I've lived in this town all my life, boy," the sheriff shot back, and Dean felt like smacking him. The guy couldn't have been any older than he was. "I know the girl that lives here, she ain't got no other friends that I know of."

"Then you obviously don't know her. Sheriff-- oh you gotta be kidding me." Dean breathed, lowering his hands after reading the badge, and turning back to the blood-stained floor.

"Um. What," Sam stammered, looking back and forth between the sheriff and his gun and Dean, obviously wondering what the hell his brother was thinking. But Dean just didn't have time for it, he needed to figure out what happened to Kerri.

"Now, you listen to me, boy. I want you to stand back up next to your friend, and do it real slow."

"Not happening. Now, where's Kerri?" Dean asked, looking over his shoulder and the obviously dumbfounded man.

"Dean, knock it the hell off," Sam ground out, trying to show the sheriff they met no harm while giving his brother the death glare.

"Dean? As in Dean Winchester?" The sheriff asked, lowering his gun a bit as he spoke.

"The one and only. And I'm willing to bet T. Collins stands for Tim."

"Mrs. Miller's grandson." Sam half laughed, lowering his arms. "How did you become a sheriff?"

Tim Collins seemed to visibly shrink at Sam's statement and Dean couldn't help but smirk. The guy was a wuss, and while he'd been the town bully when they were kids, he was the town wimp, too. Hell, Kerri kicked his ass when he was seven years old, and Dean made sure to never let him live it down.

"You two're still alive?"

"Why the hell wouldn't we be?" Dean asked, turning sharp eyes to the small man before him.

The Millers were a nasty family, that's all Dean could say about them. They'd owned practically the entire town of Valley at one point, and they made sure to let each and every resident know it. And while growing up on the wrong side of that family was a constant headache, it took on a whole new meaning when rumors of John began to circulate. Rumors Dean quickly put an end to.

"It's just--."

"We're only here for one thing, Tim. Where's Kerri?"

"Mountain Side hospital. She's been there over a week now."

"What? A week. Why the hell didn't anyone call us?"

"Based on the fact that you vanished twelve years ago, it didn't really cross our minds."

"What happened to her?"

"Honestly. We don't know."

"What do you mean, you don't know?"

"She hasn't said a word. Hell, we wouldn't have even known she was hurt if Brian hadn't called."

"Her ex-boyfriend?"

"He was more than that, but yeah. Talks to her every week or so. He's out of the country on business, asked me to come take a look when he couldn't get a hold of her for a few days."

"A few days?" Dean asked, his heart seizing in his chest as the man before him spoke. What the hell had happened to her.

"Yeah, poor thing looked like she'd been here for a while. Lucky to still be breathing."

"Mountain Side?" Dean asked, already moving past Tim Collins. He needed to see Kerri for himself, needed to make sure she was still there, still with him. The he needed to find whoever did this to her and rip him limb from limb.


	3. Chapter 3

_hi everyone. another chappy of Pawns, this stories going fast :D YAY. once again, thank you all for the fantastic reviews, they make my day!! thank you also to bambers2 for the great beta job!! as always, let me know what you think. _

**PAWNS**

Chapter 3

The drive to the hospital had been a silent one, both brothers too lost in thought to speak. Sam wanted to stop his mind, to just shut down and drift away to someplace else, any place else. But the image of Kerri laying, broken and alone, on the floor wouldn't leave the young hunter alone. She'd been attacked in her own home, a victim of things he didn't even want to think about, and then she had been left there, the only person to call to check up being thousands of miles away.

Sam knew he should have been grateful for Brian, that he should be thanking him for saving Kerri, but he couldn't help be feel a little ashamed of the entire situation. After all, he'd known Kerri since he was two years old; he should have been the one to call and check on her, the one to know whether she was safe or not-- not some stranger. Yes, Brian wasn't actually a stranger, but that didn't help Sam's mood at all. He felt like Kerri was his and Dean's responsibility, like she was their job, and so, to come back to find her hurt and hospitalized over a week before hand was too much for his tired mind to bear.

He was brought back out of his thoughts when the impala came to a grinding halt, Dean jumping from the car before the engine had completely died. Sam couldn't begin to imagine what this was all doing to his brother. Dean was closer to Kerri than Sam knew he would ever be. The pair had shared so much as children, their lives mirroring each other for so long, and Sam knew that losing her would be more than detrimental to Dean.

She was like a light at the end of the tunnel for him, a place in his heart untouched by all the darkness they had been forced to endure over their short lives. She was like a spring in the desert, a shelter during a storm, and Sam was terrified that, without that shelter, his brother would fade away.

He followed Dean through the halls, not even stopping to apologize for his brother's sharp words. They needed to find Kerri, and he wasn't about to let anything stand in their way. A week, she'd been there for over a week, something had to be seriously wrong. Hospitals didn't hang onto people because they felt like it. No, they kept them till they were well enough to move on, and the fact that Kerri was still there worried Sam more than anything.

"Can I help you, Sir?" An older woman stopped Dean as he rounded a corner. Dean made to push past her, but she wasn't having any of it, the nurse standing in front of the brothers, signaling to a large security guard when Dean still refused to stop.

"We're here to see a friend," Sam broke in, pushing past his brother. He knew Dean was worried, terrified actually, but getting thrown out of the hospital wasn't going to be beneficial to anyone. "Kerri Harrison."

The nurse took a step back at the name, her eyes narrowing as she continued to study the brothers. Sam could feel the anger rolling off his brother in waves, the older man's weak patience wearing thinner and thinner by the second. All either of them wanted to do was see Kerri, but it seemed like everyone around them had other plans.

"Sheriff Collins mentioned that you might show up," the nurse continued, nodding to the security guard. The man approached the three of them, his large body tensed, eyeing the brothers with a contempt Sam couldn't understand. "I'm afraid you're going to have to leave this hospital."

"Like hell," Dean ground out, trying to push past the guard and nurse once again.

"Sir, either you leave under your own force, or we'll take you out," the nurse spoke, though Sam could hear the waver in her voice.

"What's this all about?" Sam broke in, trying to keep his wanted brother out of prison. "We heard our friend was here, we just want to see her."

"You're friend, hm," the woman spoke sternly, crossing her arms.

"Yes, our friend."

"Well, this 'friend' of yours was attacked at her home."

"Yeah," Dean bit out, his eyes narrowing as he stared down the older woman. If looks could kill, she'd have been dust. "We know, that's why we're here to see her."

"I'm sorry, but you're going to have to provide the police with an alibi before you get anywhere near that room."

"Wait," Sam breathed, understanding dawning on him. "You think we did this?"

"It does seem a bit suspicious to us. She hasn't yet spoken, but forensics has shown that her attacker was a strong man, between six-foot and six-foot-two," she answered smugly.

"I don't give a damn what a bunch of dust mites told you." Dean's voice was so cold that it actually made Sam take a step back.

Sam could see the rage boiling beneath his brother's still stoic surface. Dean was shaking slightly, his fists clenched, sharp green eyes staring down the pair before him like a cobra. And Sam couldn't blame him. His own anger was rising with each word the nurse said, his heart beating as the adrenaline filled his body. How dare these people judge them, how dare they think that they would do something like this, to anyone.

They'd put their lives on the line more times than Sam cared to count, their entire life given up to save people that didn't believe, people like the woman before them. She wasn't giving them a chance, wasn't giving them the benefit of the doubt. No, she took in their appearance and whatever Tim Collins had said to her, and decided they were guilty. And Sam was sure that it would take a miracle to get her to change her mind.

"Forensics is a science."

"You listen to me, and you listen good, lady. I would never, ever lay a hand on that girl. Hell, I'd never lay a hand on any girl. Now, I suggest you get out of my way, or so help me god, I'm gonna make an exception for you," Dean spoke, his voice full of contempt.

The woman stepped back at the tone of the hunter's voice, her eyes growing wider when Dean took another menacing step forward. "You're going to have to leave, now."

"Look," Sam pushed Dean back, standing between the woman and his brother. "We were driving up from New Mexico. Our work takes us all over, we had a coworker with us till we reached Wisconsin. I'll give you his number, just please, let us see Kerri."

The woman softened a bit as she looked at Sam, the young man staring at her imploringly. He knew Dean was still shooting the nurse death glares behind his back, but he didn't care. They had to get these people to believe them, and having Dean threatening them wasn't really the way to do it.

"What's this coworker's name?"

"Bobby Singer."

"Alright. I'll take his number. I'm going to need you to go home and wait for the police to contact you."

"Now listen, lady--."

"Please. Please, we just need to see her," Sam continued, pushing his brother back a few steps. "We came up to visit, and we found out about this. We already lost her sister and dad, please don't keep us away from her, too."

The mention of Evelyn and Tom seemed to do the trick, and Sam could see the once formidably woman shrink a little, her sharp eyes softening. Valley was a small little town, the entire population a whopping one hundred and fifty people. This woman had to have known the Harrisons, and, judging by her reaction, she did.

"Alright. You two can go. But so help me god, if this doesn't add up, I'll throw you out of this building myself. That girl's been through too much, she doesn't need anyone screwing her up more."

"I promise, we had nothing to do with this."

"She's in room 523. Go down this hall, at the next nursing station bear to the right, it's about seven rooms down. I'll inform Stacy that you're coming."

"Thank you." Sam forced a smile, jotting down Bobby's number as Dean pushed past him, rushing down the hall to room 523.

666666666666

Dean was on auto-pilot, his mind a million miles away as he jogged down the hall. He couldn't believe what the nurse had said to him, couldn't believe they all thought he had done this to Kerri. The anger running through him was threatening to consume him, his blood boiling as the woman's words washed over him again. And Tim Collins, that man was definitely gonna get his ass kicked.

Dean would lay down and die before laying a hand on Kerri, give up his own life before causing her any more pain than she had already been forced to endure. She was his strength, a rock he had leaned against ever since the age of six. He needed her to be whole, to be safe, to be there with him forever. The idea of ever hurting her, of ever taking anything from her made him physically ill.

He laid down his life every day for complete strangers, gave up everything he could have been, everything he could have had, to keep those he didn't know safe. And those same people were showing their gratitude by labeling him a monster.

He raced past the second nurse's station, not even slowing when the woman behind the desk called out to him. Seven rooms past, Kerri was just seven rooms away. He slowed as he neared her room, the closed door mocking him, separating him from his long time friend. He stilled for a moment, taking a deep breath as he reached for the handle. He wanted to see her, needed to see her, but at that moment, he was afraid to.

He didn't want to open the door and find someone broken on the other side, didn't want to look in on Kerri only to find that the spitfire girl was lost to him forever. He wanted her to be sitting in the bed, messing around on her laptop. Or pacing the room, eager to get out, to shrug off the entire incident. Deep down though, he knew the truth. Kerri had been there for over a week, had been found laying on the floor days after she'd been attacked-- there was no way she wasn't seriously hurt. But the thing that scared him most, the thing that made his heart seize in his chest wasn't the possible injuries he would find. No, the thing that scared him most was the fact that she had yet to say a word.

Silence was so completely and utterly not Kerri. She always spoke her mind, always opened her big mouth, whether it helped the situation or not. So, the fact that she hadn't said a single word in over a week shook Dean down to his core. Because, it was a sure sign that something was very wrong with her, and he was afraid that it was something he wouldn't be able to fix.

"Sir, excuse me. But that room's private." A younger nurse spoke quietly behind him, her voice much softer than the one he had previously encountered.

"Nurse Taylor said we could be here," Sam's voice broke in, Dean barely aware that he had already pushed open the door as the two behind him spoke.

"So it really is you two. I didn't believe her when she called down." The woman smiled, Dean glancing at her for just a moment before turning back to Kerri.

She was laying still and silent on the bed, wires and tubes and who knew what running in and out of her. She looked so incredibly small, her pale skin covered with cuts and bruises. Dean felt his entire body go numb as he made his way to the bed, all of Kerri's injuries coming into full view. He face was still swollen and bruised, the purple and black marks standing out against her red hair. Her upper arms were wrapped in bandages, left wrist in a cast, her slim neck covered in a myriad of bruises. And those were just the marks he could see. He felt like he was going to be sick.

"What happened to her?" Sam asked, still standing back by the door with the nurse.

"Someone really did a number on her. She's lucky Brian called someone, I don't think she would have made it otherwise."

"What?"

"She has a few broken ribs on top of what you see, one punctured a lung. She also had some head trauma, but we were able to get that under control with just minor surgery. She really is fighting. When was the last time you saw her?"

"A few weeks ago, why?"

"Well, have you noticed anything off about her, like fatigue, chills, any other kind of sickness."

"Yeah," Sam began slowly, Dean's mind going into overdrive when he heard the question.

The painting, it had done something to her, something a hospital was able to pick up on. Dean could feel the blood draining from his face, his body beginning to shake as he sat on the side of Kerri's bed, his hand resting on her unbroken arm. He had hurt her that night, had taken more away from her than any of them knew, and it was something they might not be able to get back.

"She had a virus, pretty advanced. But, don't worry," she added, obviously seeing the distress in both borthers' faces. "We were able to get in under control with antibiotics. Another two rounds should get rid of it entirely."

"Will she have any lasting effects from it?" Dean spoke for the first time since entering the small room, his eyes never once leaving Kerri, even as he addressed the nurse.

"There shouldn't be, but it's really something you should talk with the doctor about. I'll page him."

"Thank you." Sam smiled. "By the way, what did you mean when you said it was really us?"

"I didn't think you remembered me. My name's Stacy Matthews."

"Keith's little sister?"

"The one and only. You guys were kind of legends when we were kids. And, you know, when you disappeared, people talked. For the record, I'm glad you're back." Stacy smiled sadly at both Sam and Dean, her calm and open demeanor something they rarely experienced from the residents of Valley.

"Stacy," Sam began, stopping the woman before she left the room. "Just one more thing. How much longer does Kerri need to stay here, I mean, is there risk of any complications or anything?"

"Oh no, she's fine to leave whenever."

"Then, why's she still here?"

"Honestly. She's not really in a state to be on her own, and there was no one around to take care of her."

The nurse's words were like knives to Dean's heart, his mind going into free fall as he continued to stare at Kerri's sleeping form. There was no one here for her, no one to keep her safe. And that was wrong on too many levels.


	4. Chapter 4

_Sorry for the short delay, work's been busy. First off, thank you all so much for the great reviews, i'm glad everyone's enjoying the story so far. I've been told that antibiotics dont work on viruses, go figure, so just think anti-virals whenever you read chapter three ;) also, this chapter is on the long side, but i couldnt help it, there was no good place to break it up. that being said, my favorite scene of then entire series is in this chapter Yay!! so i hope you all enjoy it as much as me. as always, let me know what you think. :)_

**PAWNS**

Chapter 4

Sam sat in the hard plastic chair, his head resting in his hands. He still couldn't wrap his mind around what had happened. They had battled demons and spirits and creatures people thought only existed in the very worse of nightmares. They'd battled it all, and lived to tell the tale. And now, after all that, a single man's actions tarnished the only safe place Sam had ever known. When he was in Valley the world around him, the world of darkness and demons, melted away. It was a place he could run to and know he was safe, but now that had all changed. Someone had come into Kerri's house and nearly killed her.

Worst still though, was the fact that he and Dean hadn't been the ones to find her. She'd been in the care of a town that would rather turn its back on her for over a week, her very life laying in the hands of a man from her past. And it was all so very wrong to the younger Winchester. Kerri was theirs, she always had been, and the fact that she had drifted away from them during their long absence was something Sam had yet to really think about.

Of course she would have moved on with life, made something of herself. She'd been sixteen years old the last time he saw her, still a child in many ways; who wouldn't change in those twelve years. Dean-- Sam thought, glancing over his shoulder into the room behind him. In those twelve years, his brother had barely changed at all. He'd become more independent, and a little more closed off, but other than that, he was the same person who'd left Valley, Wyoming in the rearview mirror all those years ago.

Sam watched Dean from his seat in the hall, feeling a bit like an outsider. Dean was in a chair beside Kerri's bed, his one arm draped over her's, the other being used as a fairly uncomfortable looking pillow, as he slept by his friend's side. He'd been like that since they had arrived. He had yet to leave Kerri's side, his body on alert until sleep finally claimed him. However, Sam knew, even though Dean looked to be sleeping, he would be ready for action at the slightest hint of danger.

Sam had spoken with the doctor soon after they first arrived, the man restating everything Stacy had told them before telling Sam that, as soon as Kerri woke up, she was their responsibility-- hell, he'd even had Sam fill out the paper work. The young hunter guessed the phone call to Bobby had gone without a hitch. Because, while he and his brother had been treated like nothing short of criminals a few hours earlier, they were now being told to take Kerri home and keep an eye on her.

Sam did a double take when he looked back up at Kerri, surprised to see her open eyes studying him. She smiled weakly, her bruised face barely registering the movement, before turning her attention toward Dean. Sam smiled when he saw Dean jump, his brother having sensed Kerri's movement, even in sleep. Sam wasn't the least bit surprised, though, since he'd seen it happen countless times since they had arrived at the hospital. Every time Kerri moved, Dean was on his feet, checking her over, calling the doctors at every sigh and shift his friend made. It was almost like Dean was afraid Kerri would disappear if he looked away.

"Hey, Winchester," Kerri spoke softly, her voice barely more than a hoarse whisper.

"Hey, pain in my ass," Dean answered, relief evident on his tired face.

Sam let out a long breath too, moving into the room at the sound of Kerri's weak but thankfully present voice. It was the first time since coming to the hospital that Kerri had spoken, the first sign since the entire ordeal had begun that she really was ok. Sam had been terrified by her silence, the idea that the girl he'd cared about most of his life could be gone was almost too much for him to bear. After all, he'd already lost Evelyn, and Sam knew that was something he would never get over.

"How're you doing?" Dean asked, checking over Kerri even as she tried to push him away.

"The doctors already did that," Kerri groaned, pushing weakly against Dean.

"Humor me."

"I'm ok, Dean, stop worrying."

"Stop worrying? I drive up to your house and find it trashed and you missing and you tell me to stop worrying!" Dean bit out, his green eyes boring into Kerri.

Sam knew Dean wasn't mad, not really, but the stress of it all was baring down on both of them. They'd driven up and had the rug ripped out from under them, their lives turned upside down in a matter of moments. Hell, how could they not worry. And Kerri trying to shrug off the entire thing wasn't helping either.

"I'm sorry." Kerri tried to break in, but Dean was on a roll, everything he'd bottled up since finding Kerri in the hospital flowing from him.

"Sorry doesn't cut it, Ker. You're telling me you're fine, then why the hell couldn't you pick up the phone? A week, Ker, you were here for a freaking week--."

"Mr. Winchester?" Both Sam and Dean turned at the voice, a very young looking nurse standing in the doorway behind them. "Sheriff Collins would like to speak with one of you concerning Miss Harrison's case. He said there's some new information."

"Alright," Dean began, rubbing his face, "I'll talk to him. Sammy, stay here." And with that, Dean followed the nurse from the room.

Sam was surprised to see Dean leave so willingly, but then again, his brother had been hounding the police and hospital for every bit of information he could get. So, the fact that something 'new' had come to light was definitely of interest to the older man. Plus, Sam guessed, Dean needed a moment away before his emotions got the better of him.

"You gonna yell at me, too?" Kerri's voice brought Sam back into the moment, the younger Winchester still wondering what Tim Collins had managed to find at the house.

After a few more minutes, he turned back to Kerri, his eyes softening when he looked her over. She was a strong woman, she had been all her life, but Sam knew that, no matter how brave she was now pretending to be, she was completely terrified. He couldn't blame her though. He had no idea what had gone on in the house, no idea what, if anything, had happened to her in that time. She'd been trapped in her house, alone with a man that tried to kill her, and Sam didn't want to dwell on the what ifs. No, he was too sickened by what he knew had actually happened.

"No yelling from me." Sam smiled, sitting on the side of Kerri's bed. "Though I don't blame Dean."

"Yeah, yeah."

"I mean it, Kerri. What happened?"

"I don't know."

"Give me a little credit."

"I'm telling the truth, Sam. I don't know what happened. Whoever did it jumped me from behind."

"And you didn't get away from him. See anything?" Sam found Kerri's explanation a little hard to believe. She knew how to fight, knew how to take care of herself, so the fact that she hadn't seen the attacker at all was a little hard for Sam to swallow.

"No, nothing," Kerri spoke quietly, turning away from Sam and the questions.

"It's ok," Sam began softly, placing a reassuring hand on Kerri's unbroken arm. He didn't want to lose her to whatever darkness she'd been trapped in for the last week, his once formidable friend more fragile than he had ever guessed. He needed her to talk to him, needed to know what had really happened to her, and then he needed to find the man responsible.

"Miss Harrison." A tall man greeted the pair, Kerri silencing as soon as he entered. Sam looked her over once more before turning toward the doctor, the need for answers burning in him. But, before he could speak, Dean came in.

"We good to go?" Dean commanded more than asked, and Sam was surprised to see his brother in serious hunter mode.

"Um, yes, I just came to speak with Kerri."

"Listen, doc, she hasn't talked to you all week, why's she gonna start now? My brother told me everything's signed."

"Yes, but--"

"Good, then we're going."

6666666666

Dean drove back to Kerri's house in silence, his eyes drifting to the rearview mirror every few seconds. Kerri was half sitting, half laying across the back seat, her eyes scrunching in pain at every dip in the road. All Dean wanted to do was make things better, to take care of her, save her. But, like everything else in his life, Kerri was someone he couldn't help, no matter how hard he tried. He slowed the car down a little, avoiding as many bumps and dips as he could on the way up the long dirt drive. He could see the fear and trepidation written all over her face. Kerri's eyes were growing more and more distant the closer they got to her house, almost as though she was shutting down, regressing somewhere Dean knew he would not be able to follow.

They pulled up at the back of the house, Kerri sitting still in the back of the car, her eyes never leaving the structure before her. Dean nodded to Sam, his brother going up into the house as Dean moved to the back seat.

"You ok back here?"

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine." Kerri blinked a few times, coming back to her senses as Dean helped her from the car.

Dean was at a loss. Yeah, Kerri was stubborn on most days, but this new attitude was something else entirely. It was almost like she was trying to push him away, trying to shut out everything around her, and Dean knew from experience that that wasn't a good road to travel. He needed her to be honest with him, needed her to tell him what had happened, to give him a complete picture of what had transpired. Tim Collins said that whoever it was was looking for something, and based on Kerri's line of work, Dean was hoping whatever it was had remained hidden.

Kerri's house was like a trading post for supernatural and occult objects, her basement and attic full of more artifacts than Dean cared to count. Nearly everything brought to Tom Harrison for study had been kept in that house, locked away in one hiding place or another, and Dean knew that it was in everyone's best interest for those objects to remain where they were. Well, everyone except for Kerri that is. And that brought on a whole new set f questions. If whoever or whatever did this was looking for one object in particular, then how the hell had they guessed it was at her house?

Tom Harrison went to great lengths to ensure his children's safety, and that protection extended well beyond the walls of his house. There was only a very small amount of people who knew that Tom had kept each and every artifact, and of those people Dean couldn't think of a single traitor. Many believed Tom had disposed of the artifacts, or hid them away in an offsite lockup like most hunters. After all, who would store dangerous and sought after items in the same house as their children.

Dean followed Kerri up the back steps, her movements not lost on the hunter. She was tense, too tense, her body shaking ever so slightly as she made her way up the stairs. It was like every step sent her heart racing, every noise from the aging house filling her with fear. He place a hand on the small of her back, stopping her at the top of the stairs, waiting for Sam to come back with the all clear. After what seemed like an eternity, Sam reappeared.

"Clear. At least as far as I can tell with this place."

"Yeah, I didn't really expect anyone to linger," Dean answered, though he could tell that Sam saw right through the lie. He didn't care though. He needed to calm Kerri down before she gave herself a heart attack and telling her that someone might be hiding just out of site in the large house wasn't the way to do that.

"Oh my god," Kerri breathed, moving past Sam and into the large kitchen. The place was destroyed, and Dean could tell by the look in Kerri's eyes that, the last time she'd seen it, the house had been in one piece.

"Tim Collins said somebody was looking for something," Dean began, following just a few feet behind Kerri, poised to catch his friend at any second. He had no idea what she'd been through, but he knew returning to the house was definitely going to take a toll on her.

"Look, Ker," Dean continued, alarmed by the silence and tension of the girl before him, "Why don't you go upstairs and lay down, Sam and I will start cleaning up."

"No." Kerri jumped, turning toward Dean, her eyes wide. "No, I mean, it's alright. I can help."

"You can barely stand."

"That's an exaggeration. It's just, you really shouldn't be forced to clean up this mess."

"And you should?"

"I should have been paying more attention. Look, Dean, I feel bad enough about this whole mess as it is."

Dean didn't know what to say. He wasn't blaming her, hell, he wasn't even thinking that. Dean nodded to Sam, his brother leaving them as he moved to clean up the parlor. It seemed that the intruder's search had been limited to the bottom floor of the house for some unknown reason. Dean turned back toward Kerri, his hands resting lightly on her shoulders, eyes and voice soft but firm.

"This isn't your fault."

"I don't really want to talk about it now, Dean." Kerri shrugged away from him, turning back towards what had once been a bookcase at the back of the kitchen, and began picking up the broken pieces of her life.

66666666666

The next three days showed little change in Kerri. She was quieter than Dean had ever remembered her being, her eyes distant and dull. It was like someone had stolen away a piece of her soul, taken something from her, and Dean was afraid it was something he wouldn't be able to replace. She'd been balancing on the edge for so long, stumbling and teetering but still never falling-- until now.

Dean and Sam had managed to clean the mess the intruder made before the pair went over each and every protection symbol and sigil they could find. And throughout it all, Kerri had remained within eye shot of them. It was something that had been worrying Dean ever since they brought her home from the hospital. She was one of the most independent people Dean knew, so the fact that she had managed to find one reason or another to stick by them for three days was more than a little worrying.

Dean knew her, better than she thought, and he could see right through her veiled attempts at normalcy. She wasn't sleeping at night, barely eating, and it was beginning to take a toll on her. In short, she was completely and utterly terrified, and she wouldn't let Dean or Sam get close enough to help her. She'd skirted around all their questions, telling them she hadn't seen the attacker, and had no idea what anyone would be looking for. Dean knew she was lying, but he couldn't figure out how to break her out from behind her ever growing walls.

Dean stood just outside the doorway to Kerri's room, the night around them falling heavy and silent. Her home was far away from everything, the solitude of it making in the perfect location for hunters, but not so perfect for a girl living on her own. Kerri was laying on her side, her back to him, but even in the dark, Dean knew she wasn't sleeping. It had been the same the last few nights-- she would go through the motions, laying still and silent, but Dean was certain that she never once closed her eyes.

He pushed the door open a bit more, smiling when he heard Kerri sigh. "For the hundredth time, I'm fine."

"Sure, shotgun."

"Whatever. You know, it's hard to sleep with you looking at me."

"Guess it's a good thing you weren't sleeping, then."

"What to do want?" Kerri asked, finally turning to face Dean.

"Well, Sam and I checked over everything, the perimeter is as safe as we can make it."

"That's good to know."

"Look, Ker, I get your scared. And I wish to god I could do something about that."

"I'm not scared."

"Forgive me if I think you're lying. Truth is, I can't really sleep, either, not if whatever did this to you is still around."

"I thought you said the house was secure."

"It is, as secure as it was before you got jumped."

"That's reassuring."

"That's why I'm here."

"You're my bodyguard now?" Kerri smiled, and Dean was relieved to see the tension in her body lessen, if only a little.

"Hey, I can't have the only girl I can manage to keep around vanishing on me."

"Beautifully stated."

"I know, my inner poet's shinning through." Dean winked, sliding a chair up to the side of Kerri's bed.

Dean propped his feet up on the bed, trying to make himself as comfortable as possible in the old wooden chair. Her looked over at Kerri, smiling when he saw her move closer to him, her body relaxing as her eyes slid closed. He'd been right. He knew she would never openly ask for help, hell, she'd spent the past few days coming up with excuse after excuse about why she was hanging around them. He needed her to know he was there, and if this was the only way to do it, then so be it.

He changed his position again, the ten minutes he'd so far managed to spend in the old chair being some of the most uncomfortable ten minutes of his life. Well, that was an exaggeration, but he was tired, and that wasn't really helping him in the rational department. He looked back over at Kerri, the girl curled up so close to him that she'd left a good two thirds of the very comfortable looking bed open. He squirmed around in the chair again, sliding it away from the bed a bit, but nothing seemed to help, he was uncomfortable as hell.

"Hey," Dean began, tapping Kerri's shoulder.

"What?" Kerri asked. It was obvious from her slow reaction that she had begun to drift off.

"Move over."

"What, why?"

"Cause if I'm gonna be your bodyguard then you gotta share the huge amount of bed you're letting go to waste."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, move to the other side."

Kerri slid to the far side of the bed, Dean kicking off his boots before climbing into the area she had vacated. He was still dressed in a t-shirt and jeans, but at that moment he didn't care, it was going on two in the morning and he was tired. He and Sam had been up for the better part of the night, searching the records on every artifact they managed to talk Kerri into divulging. It wasn't much, but it was all they had to go on.

Dean laid on his back on the bed, his left arm supporting the pillow behind his head, right arm resting by a knife he'd left on the uncomfortable as hell chair. When he woke up, he was definitely going to ask Kerri why she was even keeping the damn thing. He sunk into the soft sheets, his mind shutting down as he began to drift to sleep. He was more than positive that Kerri was safe, for the time being, but he knew his presence was a comfort to her, and at that moment, that was enough for him.

He was almost asleep when he felt the bed beside him dip down, his body tensing a little when he felt Kerri move to lay beside him. If her attitude the past three days had been weird, then this was down right crazy. But, the moment he felt her body pressed again his side, he knew what drove her. She was shaking, and Dean wrapped his left arm around her when he felt the tremble. She was terrified. Kerri rested her head against his shoulder, her broken left arm coming to rest on his chest. And, for a few silent moments, Dean held her tight, willing his strength into her.

He wanted to make the fear go away, wanted to erase the last two weeks from her memory. She'd been through too much already, had suffered more than anyone should in an entire lifetime, and Dean wanted nothing more than to fix everything. If he'd thought the tremble in Kerri's body had scared him, though, the tone of her voice when she finally spoke was like a nail through his heart.

"I knew him, Dean."

Dean closed his eyes, willing Kerri to stop, even though it was something he needed to hear. He strengthened his grip on her a bit more, resting his head against her's, comforting her as best he could.

"I let him in."

"You don't have to tell me this, Kerri."

"I know, but I need to. He was a hunter, Dean, someone I'd let in the house a dozen times before. He was just like all the rest."

Dean rubbed her arms when he felt her shaking increase. He'd never thought of it before, but it made perfect sense now. Kerri was known for ammunition and information, of course she would have countless hunters going in and out of her house. It wasn't something Dean was at all happy about, and if he could, it was something he was going to put a stop to, but it wasn't something all together unexpected.

"He called for info on a hunt. I should have known something was up, it was just a stupid hunt, he shouldn't have needed help. But, I don't know, he'd always been nice, a little awkward, but alright."

"Awkward?"

"Like he'd never spoken to a girl before, awkward. His name's Steven Daniels."

"I never heard of him."

"He's not that good at his job, stays to little stuff. He always kind of came onto me, that's why I never really thought much about it. I thought he was just gonna take the papers and leave, but then he came up behind me--."

Dean could feel the anger rising in him, his mind going into overdrive as he listened to Kerri recount the evens of that day. He wanted to go out and rip Steven Daniels apart at that very moment. People like him shouldn't be allowed to call themselves hunters. Hunters protected people, hunters sacrificed for people, hunters didn't go around attacking defenseless women.

"He wasn't human, Dean."

"What?"

"He told me-- he told me he just wanted a taste, and then these fangs came out."

He could feel Kerri's tears soaking into his shirt, her voice nothing more than a quiet whisper in the dark room. Before Dean could say anything, though, Kerri continued.

"I had a gun with silver in it like you said, I knew it wouldn't stop him but I thought I could maybe slow him down a little. But, I got the gun and fired and he just-- wasn't there."

"They move pretty fast."

"No, not like he was hiding. I fired and he just phased out."

"Like a spirit?"

"Yeah."

"How?"

"I don't know. I mean, ones undead and ones dead, doesn't really go together."

"That doesn't explain how you got hurt."

"I was trying to get to the phone and call you when he showed back up."

"As a spirit?"

"No-- as a demon. That's when he threw me through the door. I thought I was safe then, you know. I mean, salt keeps it all away, and I figured I'd try and wait him out."

"But."

"He just kind of smiled at me. He told me I didn't understand that I only see in black and white. And then, his eyes went back to normal. He just-- he just turned back into a human and stepped right over the salt. I couldn't even run."

"It's ok," Dean spoke softly, even though he knew the statement was a lie. It wasn't ok, not by a long shot.

"No it isn't, Dean. Nothing stopped him. He was someone I knew and nothing stopped him. What if he comes back?"

"Then he'll have me to deal with."

"You're not always gonna be here, Dean."

Dean couldn't answer, hell, at that moment he couldn't even breath. She was right, he wasn't always going to be there, and if whatever Steven Daniels was could get through, then there was no telling what else could happen at that secluded house. No, this was all because of an artifact, something Steven wanted, something Kerri had. And, if whatever the hunter had been was looking for was actually there, then who knew what else was in on the search.


	5. Chapter 5

_i want to thank everyone once again for the great reviews, they really make my day. i'm glad everyone's enjoying the story so far... the plot is going to thicken really quick! as always, let me know what you thing :)_

**PAWNS**

Chapter 5

Sam rolled over on the bed, covering his head with a pillow when the phone began to ring.

"Dean," Sam yelled, his voice muffled, "answer your damn phone."

Sam buried his face further into the bed when the cell phone continued to ring, the younger man cursing beneath his breath, but still refusing to answer the annoying contraption. There were times when he really couldn't believe his brother. Dean seemed singularly unable to answer the phone when he was asleep-- but if even the slightest breeze drifted through the room, Dean would be on his feet in seconds.

Sam cursed again, rolling toward his brother as the phone continued to ring, intent on hitting the older man with anything in reach. He stopped short though, when he saw the empty bed next to him. He hadn't even heard Dean leave. Sam's attention turned back to the phone, the younger Winchester eyeing the 'unavailable' written across the screen before answering.

"Hello?"

_"Sam?"_

"Ash? Is that you?"

_"Yeah."_

"What's so important that you have to call at four in the morning?" Sam growled, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the help, it was just that Ash had a way of getting under his skin without actually doing anything.

_"I don't know, I got this weird reading coming across my computer."_

"The Demon?" Sam breathed, suddenly wide awake.

_"I don't think so. Besides, you told me it showed up a few weeks ago and this doesn't match anything I recorded back then."_

"Ash, what's the point of a demon tracking computer if it can't track the Demon?"

_"It's not my fault your dad's research is dropping the ball."_

"So why did you find it necessary to call me at four a.m to tell me your computer doesn't work?"

_"I didn't say it didn't work. I said something weird's going on."_

"Weird how?"

_"I'm not sure. Freaky weather and stuff, but not the kind of thing you normally see with demons."_

"Look, Ash, Dean and I can't really pick up any hunts at the moment."

_"You're kind of in the middle of it, Dude. I talked to Bobby, he said you were in Wyoming."_

"This is all happening in Wyoming?" Sam's heart was suddenly racing. The Demon seemed to know something about Kerri, either that, or it enjoyed making her life miserable. Whatever it was, Sam didn't believe in coincidences. Something had attacked Kerri shortly after their encounter with the Yellow Eyed Demon, and now Ash's computer was picking up something strange happening right where they were. Whatever was going on, Sam knew in his heart that it wasn't good.

_"Yeah. I went back through the records, had a blip like it about a week ago. It just showed up again like two minutes ago. West of the state, in Shoshone national park near Yellowstone."_

Sam's blood ran cold. Western Wyoming in Shoshone forest, near Yellowstone-- that's exactly where Valley was. Something was after Kerri, something more than just a human, and if what Ash was telling him was true, it was right outside her door again. Sam hung up the phone, heading out of the room in search of Dean. He had no idea where his brother would have gone in the middle of the night, but well, when had his older brother ever made life easy on him. True, Dean had no idea Ash was going to call, but damn Dean had timing.

Sam's mind shifted the moment he entered the hallway-- if something was in the house, it was probably looking for Kerri. He turned toward the back stairs, making his way to Kerri's room. Her's was one of the side rooms of the house and part of the massive building's original structure. The room, along with one that had once been Evelyn's, was pushed back from the rest of the house, tucked away in a small corner, hidden from those that might be searching for it. And it was like that for a reason.

Tom had gone to great lengths to secure not only his house, but his family. Kerri and Evelyn's rooms were adjoining, a large bathroom separating the two spacious rooms. There was only one interior stairway that led to them, ensuring that anyone coming to attack would be forced to make their presence known. And, just incase anyone in the rooms was trapped, there was a secret staircase off Evelyn's room leading to the back yard, the exact same place Tom Harrison had always parked his car.

As a small child, Sam had learned that escape route. It was something both his father and Tom had drilled into the minds of all four children. If anything breached the house, go to Evelyn and Kerri's rooms and wait. If Tom and John didn't show or communicate in fifteen minutes, make for the staircase and run. Despite all that, though, Sam had never once felt threatened in the house-- until now that is.

Sam stopped when he reached the room, the second door on the landing sitting ajar. He walked up to the room slowly, taking in the scene before him. Dean was laying on the bed, his right hand resting on what looked like a chair from Evelyn's old tea table set, his knife unsheathed and ready on the warn wood. Dean was resting on his back, Kerri laying by his side, her head resting against his shoulder. They were both sounds asleep.

Sam was momentarily torn-- he knew he had to get them and get out of there, but he didn't want to take them away from the only comfort either had managed to find in a long time. He wasn't blind, he could see how much they needed each other and their friendship. Their lives had been full of turmoil and loss, both being forced to give up everything they'd known, to watch their futures drift away. They were casualties of the war, maybe not physically, but the metal toll the battles were having on the pair was as clear as day.

He pushed the door open a bit more, not the least bit surprised when Dean's eyes opened, his hand tensing on the knife momentarily.

"I need to talk to you," Sam whispered, still not entering the room.

Dean just nodded, sliding out of the bed slowly, careful not to wake Kerri. Sam was amazed by his brother's tenderness. Dean played up the womanizing barfly more than Sam cared to think about, often turning things into a joke, or rebounding questions onto whoever had originally asked them. It was a way of shielding himself, Sam knew that, but around Kerri, Dean let that entire facade slip away. When Dean was in Valley, he was the man Sam had remembered from childhood, the boy that still looked on life as though it had promise. It was someone Sam hadn't seen since the day he left for Stanford, and it was both painful and wonderful to witness.

"What's up?" Dean asked, pulling the door closed just a bit, all the while keeping a watchful eye on Kerri.

"Ash called."

"What for?"

"Something showed up on that computer of his."

"The Demon?"

"No. The Demon didn't show up a few weeks ago on that contraption, I don't think it's gonna show up now. Nah, this is something different. He saw it around this area last week."

"The thing that got Kerri?"

"Yeah. I don't think it's human, Dean."

"I know it's not. Kerri told me what it was."

"And?"

"And, I've got no clue. She said one minute it was a hunter named Steven, the next it was a vampire, then a spirit, then a demon, then a human again."

"That's not possible."

"Tell me about it. What'd Ash have to say?"

"It's back."

"Where?"

"Here."

"Valley?" Dean asked, his voice growing quieter as his shoulders tensed.

Sam could see his older brother slipping into hunter mode, the Dean he had seen mere moments before vanishing behind the walls he'd been locked behind for so many years.

"In the area at least. I think we should head to the Roadhouse. Something big's going on here, Dean."

"I know."

"Did Kerri tell you what the thing was looking for?"

"No. From the sound of it, it just went after her. But whether it told her or not, she's gotta have some idea. Look, you go pack up, I'll let Kerri know what's up. Meet me down in the kitchen in ten minutes."

666666666666

Sam sat at the large dinning room table, his mind running a mile a minute, body tensing with every creak and moan of the aging house. It was like waiting for an ambush, and he hated it. Something big was going on here, Sam was certain, and he knew Kerri was the key to it all. But Kerri's stubbornness was nothing compared to her secretive nature. She was like a safe, her mind full of more information than Sam cared to think about. Her house was a hub for hunters, and Tom had never once tried to shield his eldest daughter from the reality of the hunting community. Hell, she'd known more about it than Dean had when they were little. It wasn't right, or fair, but it was they way things were, and Sam had learned long before that there was no hope in changing it. Whatever Tom Harrison had taught his eldest, it was a lesson Kerri had taken to heart.

"We ready?" Dean asked, following Kerri down the stairs.

If it was at all possible, Kerri looked even more shaken than she had all week. She was noticeably paler, though that was probably because she looked like she was about the throw up. Sam smiled weakly, trying to calm her down before she gave herself an anxiety attack-- and, while Kerri did return a weak smile herself, Sam could see that it didn't really help. He couldn't really blame her, though. He had no idea what she'd lived through, and he knew the idea of it all happening again was a lot for her to take in.

"Yeah. I did a quick sweep, I didn't see anything."

"Alright. Take point, Sammy, I'll cover. And I want you to stay by me, Ker."

"No arguments here," Kerri spoke for the first time since coming downstairs, her voice forced and airy. Yup, Sam thought, she was definitely terrified.

The three made it to the car as quickly as they could, the plains around them eerily silent in the still night. Yes, Kerri's house was far from prying eyes, but the emptiness all around them was still unnerving. Sam checked the house as he moved, staring down each and every shadow the predawn sky created. But there was nothing there but them. Sam pulled open the back door of the car, covering Kerri as she climbed in before he hopped into the passenger seat. The moment Dean was behind the wheel, the impala tore down the dark road, Kerri's house vanishing into the darkness that was all around them.

6666666666666

Dean glanced back in the rearview mirror every few minutes, watching for any sign of trouble. He kept expecting something to be on their tale, like an attacker would materialize if he wasn't careful. And hell, at the rate this hunt was going that was a distinct possibility. Ever since Kerri told him what really happened he'd been trying to figure out what could have attacked her-- but he kept coming up empty. As far as he knew, there was nothing that could behave like that.

He looked back at Kerri each time he checked the mirror, his heart aching when he saw her. She was still shaking, though she looked like she was trying to hide it. She'd thrown on jeans, a t-shirt, sneakers and a hoodie when Dean had awoken her, but she still trembled as though she was freezing. She was no longer suffering the effects of the painting, thank god, but Dean still didn't feel like anything had changed.

Kerri was hiding something, of that Dean was certain-- and he knew that, the moment they reached the Roadhouse, he was going to find out what was really going on. The Demon's words kept echoing in Dean's mind, haunting him. He kept telling himself that demons lie, that Yellow Eyes was just trying to get into their heads, but the more time passed, the more he began to second guess himself. Kerri had called John when he was in Jericho, just before he'd vanished, and only a few weeks before Jessica was killed. And now this. It was all just too much for Dean to ignore. Something was going on, and he was pretty sure Kerri knew more than she was letting on.


	6. Chapter 6

_thank you all so much for the great, great reviews, they really make my day. sorry this chapter took a bit longer, i've been sick lately. as always, enjoy and let me know what you think. :)_

**PAWNS**

Chapter 6

The ride to Nebraska had been long and silent, the trio only stopping for fuel as they charged down the road. Dean had tried to get Kerri to eat, but she didn't seem to be in the mood. She just sat in the back seat, quietly staring out the window as though lost in a trance. She hadn't said anything about the attacker since the night before, but then, Dean wasn't all that surprised. Kerri was a secretive person, and she had been ever since the day they met. It wasn't that she didn't trust people-- well, she didn't, but it was more than that. It was almost like she couldn't tell people what was really going on in her mind, like she'd locked herself up and then lost the key. And it was frustrating Dean beyond belief.

Something big was going on, he knew that without a doubt, and Kerri had somehow gotten herself mixed up in it all. Strike that, Tom had somehow gotten Kerri mixed up in it all. Dean respected Tom Harrison a lot, he really did, but there were some things the man did that burned Dean to his core. The senior Harrison had shown his daughter too much of the hunting world at far too young an age, had relied on her too much in her younger years. Yes, John had put a heavy burden on Dean's shoulders as he grew, but Kerri had practically been running her house at the age of seven.

Dean let out a long sigh, rubbing the back of his neck, what was in the past was in the past. Their lives were screwed up, there was no denying that, but no amount of mourning over it was going to change anything. For better or worse, they were what they were.

"We should stop for the night," Sam spoke up, stretching in the passenger seat. "Or I'll drive the rest of the way."

"Nah, let's stop." Dean knew they needed real rest, and a chance to formulate a plan of attack. Right now they were running from the problem and that wasn't something Dean was all that good at. He faced what was after him, head on, no matter what.

Forty minutes later found them in another motel room on another highway, the monotony of it all as familiar to Dean as breathing. This was his life, his 'home' for lack of a better term, and to be completely honest, Dean felt a strange comfort in the rooms that dotted the sides of the highway. Kerri on the other hand, was completely out of her element. For the past few years she'd been completely alone, and Dean had guessed that the majority of her time was spent in her house. She wasn't used to the open road, to the constant change, and Dean knew it was taking a toll on her already frayed nerves.

Dean powered up the laptop, his stomach growling as he listened to the impala drive off. They had passed a diner a few miles back, and Sam was now thankfully getting them all something to eat. Dean stared at the screen for several minutes, the cursor blinking in the line for the password. He didn't need to research, everything he needed to learn was locked in the mind of his stubborn friend. Kerri knew what Steven was after, and Dean was going to get the truth out of her, whether she liked it or not.

"So," Dean began, clicking around the internet but not looking at anything specific.

"So," Kerri answered, absently flipping through the television stations.

"You gonna talk to me?"

"Isn't that what we're doing?"

"Come on, Kerri, I need you to be serious here."

"Serious about what, Dean?"

"What's this Steven thing after?" Screw the subtle approach-- Dean needed answers and sooner rather than later.

"I already told you, I don't know."

"That's bull, Ker."

"I don't know what you want me to say, Winchester."

"Ah, see, right there."

"Right there, what?"

"Winchester. You only call me that when you're either pissed or annoyed."

"I do not."

"You might as well spit it out, cause I'm not gonna stop bothering you until you tell me."

"You'll never stop bothering me, that's not much of an incentive."

"So you know something worth bargaining for?"

"Just shut up."

"Kerri, something came into your home and attacked you."

"Thanks, I remember."

"Do you? Cause you're acting like it was a freaking girl scout or something."

"Just leave it alone, Dean."

"No." Dean rose from his chair, moving to Kerri as he spoke, his long time friend turning her back on him. He knew he was pushing her, knew he was running the risk of having her shut down, but he didn't want to leave her vulnerable for another moment. "I'm not gonna leave this alone, Kerri. I mean, first there's the Yellow Eyed Demon and now this."

"I highly doubt the two incidents are related."

"Oh yeah, and why's that?"

"Just trust me."

"No."

"What?"

"No. I don't trust you."

If Dean said the look on Kerri's face when she turned around didn't hurt him, he'd be lying. But he stood his ground anyway, knowing this was the only way to get through to her. He trusted her with all his heart, hell the only person he trusted more than her was Sam-- but she was putting herself at risk and to Dean, that was unacceptable.

"Fine," Kerri bit out, turning her back to Dean once more and pushing herself up off the bed.

"Where're you going?"

"Home."

"No, you're not."

"What're you gonna do, lock me in here?"

"If that's what it takes."

"That'll go over well with motel management."

"Kerri, what the hell's gotten into you?" Dean asked, blocking the door.

"Nothing."

"Nothing my ass."

"Look, either drop it or let me leave."

"Neither's gonna happen. You're standing right there till you tell me what the hell's going on. And don't tell me you don't know, cause I'm pretty damn certain you do. So what, Yellow Eyes looking for something? Or a super vamped out baddie just wants a piece of you?"

"You have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh no? I saw your eyes when the Demon was at the motel room. And just a few weeks later all this starts happening. So yeah, you stand there and try and convince me nothing's going on."

"You know what, fine. It's all my fault."

"What?"

"You wanna know the truth, here it is. Sam's safer if I'm not around."

Dean softened a bit, his adrenaline leaving him as he watching his friend. "I don't believe that for a second, Kerri, and I never will. I've always known Sam was safe with you."

"Just like Evelyn?"

"Kerri--"

"I'm sorry, Dean. It's just-- I can't."

"Can't what?"

"Tell you everything. I want to, Dean, I really do. But I can't."

"Kerri, what happened?"

"Life. I don't really know what else to say. I can take a bus back."

"No." Dean rubbed his tired face, sitting on the side of the bed. "You're staying."

Dean was tired, and not just in body-- his soul was exhausted. Every time he looked at Kerri, he forgot about the twelve years they'd spent apart. To him, she was the same girl he'd known when he was young, the same spitfire rebel he had learned to live again with. It wasn't until moments like these that reality fell down upon him. They weren't children anymore, hell they were both nearing thirty, and it was something Dean just couldn't wrap his mind around. He wanted to know everything that had happened to her while he was gone, wanted to heal every wound, comfort every heartache, chase away every shadow. But the more time passed, the further Kerri seemed to slip away.

Kerri sat on the bed beside him, the pair wrapped in silence, both lost to the torrents of their own minds. Dean couldn't begin to imagine the information locked in Kerri's head. Tom had taught her everything he knew, of that Dean was certain, and that information did nothing more than place her in danger. Yes, arrogance was dangerous, but having too much information was turning out to be just as lethal.

"The bracelet." Kerri's voice broke through the silence, startling Dean.

"What?"

"I think Steven was looking for a silver bracelet."

"What makes you think that?"

"There was someone else asking about it a few weeks ago, another hunter I'd never met before. James something."

"A few weeks ago as in before the Korrigan?"

"Yeah."

"And you didn't think to tell me?"

"It didn't really matter or concern you at the time."

"So you think Steven is going to all this trouble for a bracelet?"

"It's not like it's just any bracelet. It destroys anything supernatural with just a touch."

"Wait, the bracelet from when we were kids?"

"Yeah, the one that killed the Watcher."

"You still have it?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"I mean, I don't know. It's just-- the last I heard about it, Bobby was coming by to see what it was. That was a few days after the Watcher."

"Yeah well, we kept it. Bobby couldn't figure out what it was exactly, except he figured it was pretty powerful."

"The Watcher was a spirit, I mean, do you have any proof it can kill something stronger?"

"I saved Sam with it."

"What? When?" _When the hell had Kerri saved Sam?_

"The last time I saw you. Everything happened so fast, I didn't have time to tell anyone what happened. And then, no one really seemed to care or ask."

"You mean--" Dean couldn't finish the sentence, his heart constricting in his chest when he thought about that fateful day. He could still feel the dirt beneath his fingers, the terror of it all running through his veins like fire. Even though that day was over twelve years in the past, to Dean Winchester, it had just happened.

"I was looking for something to help when you were trying to get him away from the demon. The bracelet was sitting on a shelf and I hit it by accident. The second it hit the ground, there was this shriek and I saw the bracelet glow, hell I even saw the demon. I swear I thought it was coming for me. But it just kind of bubbled and died right under the bracelet."

"And you never told anyone?"

"Well, the next time I spoke to your dad it was ten years later."

"What about your dad?"

"He never really asked. I mean hell, I kept the bracelet and he never noticed it was gone."

"How did Steven find out you had it?"

"I don't know. People come by the house looking for artifacts all the time. My dad's got a couple hundred there. Maybe someone heard about him having it back when we were younger?"

"Where is it now?"

"It's safe."

"You're not gonna tell me?" Dean asked, fighting down his anger. He wasn't really angry at Kerri, he was just upset at the fact that he wasn't being given all the information. They were more or less in the middle of a hunt, now wasn't the time to be secretive.

"Don't take it the wrong way, Dean. I just think it's better to keep it safe."

"You think I'll blab?"

"No, but what if something was spying."

"If you don't want to tell me, you can just say so."

"It's not that. I've managed to keep this thing hidden from everyone, even my dad, for twelve years."

"And you really think that's what this guy's after?"

"I'm not a hundred percent sure, obviously, but yeah, I think so."

"Can I have your permission to tell my brother about it?" Dean asked sarcastically, completely content to tell Sam whether Kerri wanted him to or not. She had had this bracelet since they were eleven years old and still hadn't figured out what it was. They needed more eyes on it, studying it, and he was just hoping Sam would be able to help.

"Fine, since I'm positive you're gonna tell him anyway. Do you really think he can figure out what this thing is even though I can't?"

Dean was a little taken aback. He had expected Kerri to be upset or hurt because he thought Sam was a better geek, but he was amazed when he heard relief in her voice. He could see the fatigue in her slumped shoulders, could hear the waver in her voice. She was tired of running.

"Geek-boy? That kid can find stuff I didn't even know existed. I just can't believe you still have that thing."

"You'd be amazed at the amount of stuff I've got."

Dean knew that statement was true, more true than Kerri probably intended it to be. Yes, her house was full of countless artifacts, many of which she was risking her life protecting, but her mind was just as cluttered. Her house was a central research hub for hunters, her home a crossroads for all aspects of the hunting community and, Dean knew, there was no telling the amount of information she kept hidden away.


	7. Chapter 7

_hello everyone!! thank you all once again for the great reviews, they really make my day and help me write quick :) as always, let me know what you think :)_**  
**

**PAWNS**

Chapter 7

Sam sat on a stool at the diner, a cup of coffee clutched in his hands. He was still trying to figure out what was going on-- Ash's information having turned everything upside down. Not even twenty four hours before, Sam thought this was just an attack, someone taking advantage of a young woman living on her own. But now, everything had changed. Their lives were more confusing now, if that was even possible, and Sam didn't know where to turn. Kerri and her family had been a constant for him as a child, something sane and normal in a world that was anything but. Valley was a place to go home to, a place to feel safe, but ever since their long absence, everything he had remembered about the fading city was gone.

He stared into the dark liquid in the cup, his tired mind racing. This was turning out to be something huge, he could feel it. Kerri's house had more protection around it than any other place he knew, and still, something had gotten in. This was different than the watcher, different than the Korrigan. Those beings had projected images inside the house, while whatever had attacked Kerri this time had made it inside-- physically. But what made the entire thing worse, was that fact that Ash's computer had picked up on it. The rig was supposed to pick up the Yellow Eyed Demon, supposed to make heads or tails of his father's work-- but instead, it was picking up on something that was hunting Kerri.

Until that point Sam had made himself oblivious to the danger his long time friend was in. He'd always let himself believe she was on the outskirts of the hunting community, spending her life safely under the radar. But now he realized that she was in the middle of it all, and she'd be there even if she didn't know himself or Dean. Sam sighed, letting his mind wander as he waited for the food. He couldn't believe how much life had changed in those twelve years, how different everything was. When he was a child, Valley had been like a beacon to him, a place to run to when the world around him became too hard. Now, though, Valley was a place he feared, a place that weighted heavily on his heart; because he never knew what he would find when he walked up those back basement stairs.

When Sam walked into Kerri's house to find it in shambles, he felt as though his entire world had stopped. It was like a memory being physically destroyed. In Sam's mind, Kerri's house was sacred, a place time and terror wasn't supposed to touch. But the world around him didn't seem to care what he believed, what he loved-- it just took and took, and Sam was sure that, one day, everything would be gone. He was only so strong, only so resilient. Sam didn't know how much longer he could fight, didn't know how much more he could take.

He was still reeling from the news that Evelyn had died. She had been so close to him, his partner in crime, his best friend, and she was gone in the blink of an eye. It was something he still couldn't wrap his mind around. She had been so full of life, so loud and energized-- the idea that she was gone just seemed completely impossible. And yet, here he was, sitting alone in a diner, his life now sadly absent of the girl he had once known. It was like looking through a window, watching a life from outside of its existence. Evelyn was beyond his reach now, and Sam was still struggling to come to terms with that.

"Sweetheart?"

Sam looked up quickly, the voice louder than he thought it needed to be. The waitress was standing before him, bags resting on the counter in front of her.

"I didn't mean to startle you," the woman continued, her face softening as she looked at Sam, "it's just, I called you a few times. You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a little lost in thought." Sam forced a smile, pulling out his wallet.

"Happens to the best of us." She smiled, thanking Sam as he left the diner.

Sam drove back to the motel in silence, the sound of the impala's engine the only thing breaking the heavy air around him. He could feel the tension in the air, the foreboding feeling weighing him down, pressing on him, smothering him. He couldn't lose the last member of the Harrison family, he refused. His mother, his father, Tom, Evelyn, Jessica-- too many had already been taken from him. Kerri was one of the last people he and his brother had, one of the last bits of family left to them, and now something was trying to take her away.

He pulled up at the motel a few minutes later, the smell of food making his stomach growl. He hadn't eaten anything in almost a day, Ash's phone call having taken up every bit of his focus. There was a link between Kerri and his father's research, Sam could feel it. He didn't know if it had something to do with one of the many artifacts she kept hidden around her house, or something she had learned through her research. Whatever it was, it was something huge.

"Speaking of geek-boy." Dean's voice greeted Sam as he pushed through the door.

"Huh?" Sam asked, handing the bags to his brother.

Dean had been sitting on the bed beside Kerri, the two having obviously been in deep conversation before he walked in. The young Winchester's mind immediately wandered back to what he'd seen after Ash's phone call. Sam knew his brother and Kerri were incredibly close, that the pair depended on each other for strength, but he'd never witnessed anything like he had earlier that day. Kerri and Dean were falling apart, Sam could see it as clear as day, and he was afraid this war they were now fighting was going to destroy them.

"Miss 'need to know' needs some help," Dean began curtly, spreading the food out across the table.

"Need to know?"

"You're brother's mad at me," Kerri spoke up, sliding back against the headboard.

"I'm not a waiter, you gotta get your own dinner," Dean chided, sitting at the small table.

"I'm not hungry." Kerri closed her eyes, sliding down into the pillows.

"Bull."

"Bull yourself, you don't know if I'm hungry or not."

"Alright, I'll rephrase it. Eat!"

"Lovely beside manner."

"Ker, starving yourself isn't really helpful."

"I'm not starving myself. Just cause you're the human garbage can doesn't mean I am, too."

"You haven't eaten since lunch yesterday."

"You're spying on me?"

"Someone has to."

"Enough, guys." Sam broke in, a headache growing. Those two could really go at it sometimes-- especially when neither was right about the situation. "What do you need, Kerri?"

"Nothing," Kerri mumbled.

"Kerri knows what the crazy thing that tried to kill her is looking for," Dean answered, earning a stern glare from his friend.

"What?" Sam rounded on Kerri, his heart beating faster with the information. "Why the hell didn't you tell us?"

"My point exactly, Sammy."

"Shut up, Dean." Sam waved off his brother, turning all his attention to Kerri. He needed her to open up to him, and Dean the peanut gallery wasn't helping.

Sam thought he heard his brother mumbled something like 'last time I let you drive the impala' but he was too focused on the girl before him to give his brother much thought. "What do you think it wants?"

"A bracelet I have."

"A demon-spirit-other-bad-thing-killer bracelet she has." Dean chimed in around a mouthful of food.

"That old silver bracelet?" Sam asked, his mind wandering back to that ill-fated summer nearly a lifetime ago. "The one that killed the watcher?"

"Yup. And apparently, it also killed the earth demon that got you." Dean continued, Kerri's eyes boring into him as he spoke.

"Are you serious. Why didn't you tell us?"

"Cause not everything in my life concerns you guys, Sam." Kerri spoke quickly, her voice cutting through him.

Sam was taken aback by her tone. Yes, Dean could push her buttons like no one else, but she had never once held out on them, never hidden information from them. At least, not that Sam had known of. Now though, his beliefs were thrown into disarray. He'd never questioned Kerri's motives before, had never tried to pry information out of her. She'd always been so willing to help, so eager to jump in with whatever they needed, that the idea of her hiding things from him didn't seem possible. But suddenly, Sam realized that he didn't know nearly as much about his long time friend as he had previously believed.

"So," Sam began after a few minutes, Kerri's hard eyes softening a bit at his tone. "Why do you think this thing wants it?"

"Like I told Dean, another hunter was asking about it a few weeks ago."

"What is it?"

"I don't know. I've never been able to figure it out."

"So, you have a silver bracelet that can destroy demons and spirits and there's no lore on it?"

"Pretty much."

"Let me look it over, I'll see if there's anything I can find. What?" Sam asked when he saw Kerri shift.

"She won't tell." Dean broke in, impatience clearly evident in his voice.

And then it dawned on Sam-- Dean thought Kerri would give his little brother the bracelet. Sam had no idea why Dean would think that, Kerri was definitely closer to him, but that didn't seem to change anything.

"Is it safe at least?" Sam asked, understanding Kerri's need for secrecy. She'd had the artifact a long time, and Sam had no doubt in his mind that it was powerful. At that moment in time, the bracelet's safety was more important than whether Kerri trusted them or not.

"So you're ok with the fact that she's lying to us." Dean stated, his dinner forgotten on the table.

"I'm not lying to you."

"Dean, we can worry about where it is later. As long as Steven or whatever can't get it, it's fine. Can he get it?" Sam asked, turning stern eyes to Kerri. He may understand her desire for secrecy, but he needed her to understand the magnitude of what she was doing.

"No, nothing can get it."

"Good."

"So, I'm being stonewalled by the geek brigade."

Sam could hear the hurt in his brother's voice, the jibe covering up whatever was really running through the older man's mind. Sam wanted his brother to understand that this was bigger than the three of them, that Kerri's secrets were being kept for a reason-- but he could barely make himself believe that. Ever since their encounter with the Yellow Eyed Demon, Sam's views of Kerri had changed. She was more involved in the world of hunters than he'd ever imagined, and that involvement seemed to be centered on the thing that had taken their mothers.

And suddenly, Sam needed answers, needed the truth. He was like a drowning man, Kerri a life ring in the storm. She knew more about what was going on than she was letting on, and he wanted to understand, wanted to see reality for what it truly was. But, above all else, he wanted to keep his friend safe, to keep someone else he loved with him, and that was enough to make him hide his curiosity. There would be time for questions later.

"Look," Sam began, rubbing his face. He was suddenly very tired. "Let's just eat and get some rest, we'll figure this out when we get to the roadhouse."

"You're the boss, apparently," Dean grumbled, turning back to his dinner.

Sam handed one of the take away boxes to Kerri before joining his brother at the table. The three ate in silence, all too lost in their own thoughts to speak. This was all spiraling out of control, the distant battlefront coming closer with each passing second. What had once seemed an eternity away was now beating at their front door, and Sam knew they weren't yet prepared for the fight.


	8. Chapter 8

_first off, thank you all so, so much for the great reviews, they really make my day. this chapter is kind of a point A to point B chapter, but i promise, the story really starts picking up steam in the next chapter. _

_for time line purposes, the entire something lost series takes place from season 3 on, with the exception of episodes 2.21 and 2.22 (all hell breaks loose). so everything will mirror the tv series until that point. what can i say, who knew kripke would kill off the baddie so soon, lol. _

_enjoy :)_

**PAWNS**

Chapter 8

Ellen sat in the dark bar, her mind miles away from the roadhouse she called home. Sam had called her just a few short minutes before, letting her know when they'd arrive. It was like standing on the battlement, the silence around her shrouding the war she knew was approaching-- and Sam and Dean were the ones bringing the battle to her front door. She didn't blame them, after all, they hadn't chosen this life, but it was at times like these that she wished John Winchester had never crossed her path. She had come to terms with her husband's death a long time ago. She knew what Bill did was dangerous, knew that each trip down the road could be his last. Yes, John Winchester was with him when he died, but Ellen had long since forgiven him. 

And then, Dean and Sam broke into her bar and her life was turned upside down. They were the last two people she had ever expected to meet, but for some reason, she always felt like she had known them. Ellen was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of a car in the parking lot, the deep growl of the impala echoing through the walls of the old building. For the briefest of moments, she was thrown back in time, taken back to a place where she was still happy, still whole. She shook her head, clearing her mind as she walked to the door-- now was not the time to reminisce.

The barmaid couldn't help but smile when Sam walked in. He was so much like John it was scary, though she knew the young man before her would never believe it. It wasn't so much that they looked alike, there was more to it than that. They both seemed to have a huge weight on their shoulders, father and son both taking responsibility for things far beyond their control. She could see it in Sam's eyes, the young hunter having witnessed far too many terrible things in his short life-- and it broke Ellen's heart. She had been used to seeing that weight and strain on men twice Sam's age, and so seeing it bearing down on the youngest Winchester was just so very wrong. 

She continued to watch as a young girl came in behind Sam, followed quickly by Dean. Ellen had never met Kerri Harrison, hell she'd only met Tom a handful of times, but she knew who the young woman was none the less. She had heard of the Harrisons many times, especially after their deaths. Not much was ever said about Kerri herself, but Tom was almost a legend in the hunting world. Their small northwestern town was the center of research for the scattered hunting community-- if you had a question about anything, there was a pretty good chance Tom would know the answer. 

"You guys made it pretty quick," Ellen smiled, leading the group to the back bar. 

"Yeah well, with Dean driving any trip is quick," Sam replied, a tired smile drifting across his face. 

"Why don't I show you three to a room, let you rest up a bit before we figure out what's going on."

"Thanks, Ellen," Dean answered, his sharp eyes scanning the room. 

Ellen was never too sure how to read Dean-- the boy was just a mystery to her. There were times when he acted like an annoying ten year old, and others he was more deadly than any hunter she knew. And it was that simple fact that made her weary of the young man. It wasn't that she was afraid of him, she just knew to tread lightly when Dean was involved-- especially with matters of family, and Ellen could clearly see that Dean considered Kerri family. 

She wanted to tell Dean he could stop worrying, that the three of them were safe in her bar, but her mind kept drifting back to Gordon. Someone at her roadhouse had tipped him off about Sam, and she knew that whatever trust Dean had once placed in her would be hard to find again. If there was one word to describe Dean Winchester, it was over-protective. Some would say it was because of what he lost, but others had endured just as much heartache as he had. No, there was more to it than that, of that Ellen was certain, she just couldn't figure out what it was. Dean was an enigma, and she was certain he would remain that way forever. 

"It's no trouble boys," Ellen answered, leading them further into the building. 

She couldn't help but notice Kerri's injuries, hell she could have probably seen them from space. One side of the girl's face was still black and blue, her long hair hanging down in front in a vein attempt to block it. Her left arm was broken, and she walked with a stiffness Ellen learned long before could only mean broken ribs. The older woman could see the strength it was taking Kerri just to stay on her feet, yet the young girl didn't once complain about it-- and it was something that saddened the mother. Kerri shouldn't have had that look about her, shouldn't have had to hide inside herself, but the hunting world took and took, and rarely gave back. 

Dean stayed close by Kerri as they walked, almost like he was trying to shield her from the world around them. It was a side of Dean that was both familiar and mysterious to Ellen. She had seen Dean hover over Sam, had seen the middle Winchester stand between his brother and the darkness more times than she cared to count, but this was different. There was something different about Kerri, something that changed Dean ever so slightly. She was like a lifeline for him, something steady and true in a turbulent world. 

Ellen's mind wandered again as she showed the three to a back room. Jo was smitten with Dean, and really, Ellen couldn't blame her. To a head-strong girl, the hunting world was something of a romantic notion-- people fighting the good fight, standing tall against the darkness, saving people in need. Hell, it was all that mystique that made Ellen fall for Bill in the first place. But, as Ellen learned over the years, the hunting world was not a place to lose your heart in. 

If one thing was true about the lives of hunters, it was that they were lonely. Families and futures were just not all that common in the darkness, and Ellen knew it would be no different for Jo. The life of a hunter was like a trap, an existence there was no escaping from-- it wasn't the kind of thing you walked into willingly. Jo still had a chance to get out; and was Ellen such a bad mother for wanting more for her only child?

"Here you go, I only have the one room," Ellen began after a few moments, showing the three into a large room. The few private rooms the roadhouse had where already taken by her small family, leaving only two large common rooms-- but somehow, it was always enough. 

"This is fine. Thank you, Ellen." Sam smiled, Dean and Kerri remaining silent as they walked into the space. 

"Do you need anything, sweetheart?" Ellen asked, watching as Kerri slowly lowered herself onto one of the beds. "Ice or something?"

"No thanks, I'm fine," Kerri answered, her voice soft and distant. 

"Alright." Ellen forced a smile, leaving the three alone. "Just give a holler if you need anything." 

Ellen's mind remained on Kerri as she walked back to the bar-- the red-head was as different from Jo as day was to night. Her daughter was headstrong and naive, believing she could stand up to anything, fight any fight-- and win. Kerri, on the other hand, was more subdued, broken down by the world she had been raised in. It was something Ellen tried desperately to shield her young daughter from, even though Jo fought her at every turn. 

Ellen's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door, footsteps echoing as another pair of people entered. 

"Are Dean and Sam here?" Jo asked, coming up to the bar. 

"I thought you two were spending the night over in Lincoln."

"We were, until someone got us thrown out."

"I prefer, escorted out of the door." Ash added, popping a few peanuts in his mouth.

"Whichever term you prefer, we got kicked out of the poker tournament," Jo chimed in, her eyes searching the bar. "So, where are they?"

"Resting, and you're both to leave them alone," Ellen spoke sternly, letting both Jo and Ash know there was no room for argument. She had purposefully left Jo out of the loop. She wanted to get her daughter as far out of the hunting world as possible, but meeting Dean and Sam only seemed to solidify the twenty two year old's desire to hunt. Ash, on the other hand, had been chomping at the bit to show the brothers what he found. 

"I still can't figure out how they got here so fast," Ash began, his mouth moving before his common sense had a chance to catch up. "Sam said they were too busy to pick up a hunt, but the second I said Wyoming, he was all over it."

"Hey, Ellen." Sam's voice broke through the conversation, making all three turn. "Is that offer for ice and advil still open?"

"Sure thing, Sweetie. She through being stubborn?"

"Yeah, right. Dean just happened to win the battle of wills tonight."

"There ya are, Sam." Ellen smiled, handing an ice back and pills to Sam, purposefully avoiding Jo and Ash's curious stares. "If there's anything else you all need, just let me know."

"Thanks again, Ellen, for everything." Sam forced a smile, nodding a hello to Ash and Jo before turning back down the hall. 

"They're with someone?" Ash asked, craning his next as he stared down the hall. 

"Yes, they've got a friend with them. It's the reason they were in Wyoming to start. Now, I want you to to go straight to your rooms and leave the boys alone."

66666666666

To Ellen's amazement, both Jo and Ash had gone to their rooms and left the boys and Kerri completely alone all night. She had expected the two to try everything in their arsenals to see the brothers, to figure out exactly what was going on with the elusive Winchesters -- but instead, they'd actually minded their own business. Either that, or they spent the whole night plotting how to figure out the latest mystery. 

"Good morning."

Ellen turned at the sound of Sam's voice, smiling as he and Kerri chose seats at the bar. Ellen had decided to lay breakfast out across the long wood bar, keeping the boys out of the small kitchen she knew Jo and Ash would try and corner them in. Ellen looked over Kerri as Sam helped her onto the stool, her body stiff, but seemingly better than the night before. 

"Good morning," Ellen answered, moving behind the bar. "Where's Dean?" 

"Checking the perimeter, what else." Sam smiled, accepting the coffee Ellen pushed in front of him. 

"You all are safe here." She wished that statement was true, wished she could relax in the knowledge that her home was a safe house for the Winchester boys. But she couldn't. She still couldn't come to grips with the fact that someone there had ratted out Sam, that someone had turned Gordon, one of the most dangerous hunters she knew, on them. It was just another example of the people that made up the hunting world. 

"Breakfast, nice," Dean commented, sitting next to Kerri, the young girl now flanked by the boys. 

Ellen could tell by the look in his eye that he heard what she said-- and he didn't believe it for a second. She couldn't really blame him, though. "Yeah," she began, trying to lessen the obvious tension, "you should all dig in before Ash and Jo come in, those two eat like racehorses."

"I'm not all that hungry. Thanks, though." Kerri gave a weak smile, gripping her coffee cup but still not drinking any. 

"Tough," Dean began, his mouth already full of food. He made a plate up for Kerri, pushing a mountain of eggs, bacon and toast toward her. Kerri just slid the plate over to Sam, the youngest Winchester not even having a chance to touch the food before Dean slid the plate back in front of the redhead. 

"Dean, I don't want it."

"I don't care."

"I'm not gonna eat it."

"Yes, you are."

"Make me."

"Don't think I won't."

"Big talk."

"Come here," Dean began, grabbing a piece of toast and moving toward Kerri. 

She tried to move to the side, but seemed to realize her injured ribs weren't going to allow it. Ellen was more than certain that, if Kerri wasn't injured, she would have been able to avoid Dean for quite a while. 

"Alright, I'll eat the damn toast."

"And eggs and bacon."

"Just toast, Sam can have the rest."

"You gotta eat, Ker."

"I know, but you're trying to feed me more than I eat in a whole day."

"That's an exaggeration."

"No, it isn't."

"She's got a point," Sam added, helping himself to some of the food on Kerri's overflowing plate. 

"That's a normal amount of food," Dean defended, scooping another fork full of eggs and ketchup into his still full mouth. 

"For you," Sam countered, Kerri nodding as she ate her toast. 

Ellen couldn't help but smile at the exchange. Seeing the brothers relaxed was a rare sight indeed, and she knew to cherish the fleeting moments. Life was nothing more than memories, that was a reality she'd come to except many years before-- Ellen just wished there were more good memories to go along with the bad.


	9. Chapter 9

_thank you all so much for the great, great reviews, they make my day :) the actions picks up in this chapter and the plot thickens... enjoy :)_

**PAWNS**

Chapter 9

Kerri had never really gone to sleep. She tossed and turned, but never spent more than an hour fully asleep. She didn't know what it was, something just seemed off. This was a hell of a lot of work to go through to get some bracelet— hell, the colt didn't even get this kind of attention. There had to be more going on, something else playing behind the scenes. If the world of ghosts and ghouls was one thing, it was consistent. The bad guys were pretty predictable, following certain rules the laws of physics had set in stone. For instance, the undead and dead were normally two separate things.

In all her years of research, Kerri had never once heard of anything like Steven. As far as she was concerned, it just wasn't possible, and had she not seen it with her own eyes, she would have found it a hard story to swallow. And there it was— the reason for her insomnia. She hadn't wanted to tell the brothers about Steven because she knew they wouldn't believe her. Hell, she didn't believe herself. The worse part of all, though, was that she had no idea how Dean had taken her story. Was he merely comforting his now insane friend, or did he actually believe her when she said the ghost of a vampire/demon named Steven was after her.

The conversation from the previous night was still ringing loud and clear in her head, mixing with all the other jumbled emotions she carried.

_"Just trust me."_

_"No."_

_"What?"_

_"No. I don't trust you."_

The words had been like a slap in the face, Kerri's blood running cold as Dean's green eyes bored into her. His trust was something she cherished more than anything, something she knew she was blessed to have earned. Whether he was just trying to get her to spill her secrets or he meant the words didn't matter to the girl— Dean had said it and, on some level, Kerri knew it was true. They weren't children anymore, life couldn't be fixed by a quick sorry or a sly look. Actions had consequences now, choices heavier than she ever thought possible. They were all standing on the brink, and Kerri was afraid she'd already fallen over the edge.

She laid perfecting still when she heard the brothers awaken, letting their voices wash over her as she buried her face in the thin blanket. So much time had passed between them, so many memories made while they weren't together. Sam and Dean were her past, Kerri knew that, but she just didn't have the strength to throw them out of her future. It was like finding a treasure and then being told you had to give it up. All Kerri wanted to do was hold onto Sam and Dean, to keep them with her, keep them safe, keep them alive— because too much was stolen from her already.

Kerri had learned long before not to hope. Whenever she got something good, whenever she felt happy, things were eventually stolen away from her. It had been that way since she was small. Every time she felt things were going good, each time she let her guard down, terrible things happened. When Evelyn was born, their once absent father had started spending more time with his family, and Kerri had been happier than she ever remembered begin— but then came the fire, and her life had been down hill ever since.

She'd fallen in step with Sam and Dean as a child, had dared to plan a future with them, and then John had taken them away. She'd met Brian, the only person besides Dean that made her feel whole, made her feel happy, and for the first time since Sam and Dean left, Kerri dared to believe life could be good. Then the Demon had returned, shattering whatever future she could have had, killing Evelyn and Tom and sending Kerri into a life alone.

And now, almost three years later, twelve and a half years since they'd first left, Sam and Dean were back, but Kerri was just too afraid to get attached. She wanted things to be the way they were, wanted their lives to be whole again, to be happy again. But she knew what happened when she dreamed, knew what happened when she let herself be normal— people died.

She heard Dean leave the room to check out the Roadhouse, making sure nothing had followed them, while Sam stayed in to keep an eye on her. Not even a minute after Dean left, though, Sam spoke.

"You know, I know you're awake."

"Psychic mojo kicking in?" Kerri asked, rolling over to face Sam.

"That, and I've seen you try and fake it before."

"Dean didn't seem to notice."

"Yeah well, Dean has a way of seeing only what he wants to sometimes."

"I take it he told you I've lost my mind."

Sam just sighed, sitting on the bed beside her. She really had missed him. She was always closer with Dean than Sam, mostly because she and Dean were the same age. But Sam, he was always so different. He was more expressive than most people, his eyes having a depth Kerri had never seen before. If there was one way to describe him, it was wise. Not the walking encyclopedia Dean often referred to him as, just wise— like he had not only lived far beyond his years, but had understood everything along the way.

"He told me about Steven, if that's what you mean. He also told me about the bracelet." Sam added, a strange look in his eyes. "Thanks."

"For what?"

"He told me what you did all those years ago. Thank you."

Kerri didn't know what to say. She hadn't saved Sam, Dean had, all she did was drop some trinket on the ground. Dean had been the one to dig his brother up, Dean had been the one to give CPR, and Dean had been the one to nurse his frightened brother back to health, bring Sam back from a void he was nearly lost to forever. All Kerri did was drop a bracelet.

"It wasn't me, Sam."

"I wasn't asking for a humble response, or any response really. I just wanna say thanks, for everything. We left in such a rush back then, and even after Dean and I came back we were preoccupied. It's just— I never got a chance to really say thank you."

"You're welcome, Sam."

"And just for the record, Dean and I believe you. Neither one of us really knows what's going on, but we don't think you're crazy."

"Oh... thanks." Kerri sighed, leaning against the headboard.

"You're disappointed we believe you?"

"No, it's not that. I guess, I don't know, I thought you'd know."

"What Steven is?"

"Yeah, I mean, you are the encyclopedia of weird."

"Well, even geeks have their off days." Sam smiled, his soft features easing Kerri's nerves. "Come on, I think Ellen's got breakfast at the bar."

"I'm not all that hungry."

"Then come socialize."

"You're getting to be as stubborn as Dean."

"Getting to be, I'm pretty sure he learned it from me."

Kerri smiled, Sam grabbing jeans and a t-shirt before heading to the bathroom. He really did have a point. When they were little, Sam could out last all of them, often getting the other three to do his bidding with little more than a look. And when things didn't go little Sam's way, well, then the world was in trouble. Dean was always easier to get things over on, and so much easier to dare. Hell, just say the words, I dare you, and Dean was eager to do anything.

Kerri could see now that those roles had barely changed at all. Sam was still stubborn as ever, though Dean seemed to have figured out a way to keep it in check, and Dean, well he was still leaping before he even considered looking. But that's what made them the Sam and Dean she'd befriended over two decades before, and she wouldn't change it for the world.

The pair made their way to the bar about ten minutes later, Dean still outside somewhere, securing the perimeter. Ellen had put out an impressive spread, probably a little over the top, but Kerri knew her intentions were good. She'd heard of Ellen before, there were few hunters that hadn't, but Kerri had never actually met the woman. To the twenty-nine year old, Ellen was just another hunter, another name.

"Good morning." Sam offered, breaking Ellen out of whatever thoughts were running through her mind.

The woman's eyes ran over the two of them, her gaze lingering on Kerri for a few moments before smiling, "Good morning, where's Dean?"

"Checking the perimeter, what else."

Kerri was happy to leave Sam to the small talk. She wasn't trying to be rude or elusive, she just wasn't that much of a talker. Besides, every time she opened her mouth, it seemed to cause nothing but trouble, so she considered it a preemptive strike.

"You all are safe here."

Kerri wanted to tell her the statement wasn't true, wanted to tell her no place was safe. Evil was everywhere, watching and waiting, ready to strike at a moment's notice no matter where you were. A comfy living room, and condemned warehouse, or an old cemetery— it didn't matter, because evil lived everywhere.

"Breakfast, nice." Dean's voice broke Kerri from her inner solitude, the blonde smiling at her before taking the seat on her left.

Kerri knew he'd been listening in, knew he'd heard Ellen, and she knew he didn't believe her. Dean understood nothing was safe, understood that you could never let your guard down, not even for a second. He knew the darkness was waiting, and he knew he could never stop fighting it.

"Yeah," Ellen smiled awkwardly, obviously trying to relieve some of the tension Dean had brought with him. "You should dig in before Ash and Jo come in, those two eat like racehorses."

"I'm not all that hungry. Thanks, though." Kerri appreciated what Ellen was doing, she really did. But at that moment all she wanted to do was crawl back under the covers and wait for it all to go away. Kerri wasn't a hunter, she was a researcher, but every time Dean and Sam showed up, she always ended up in the trenches.

"Tough," Dean began, shoving a mountain of food toward her. It was more food than Sam could probably eat all day and he was nearly a foot taller than she was.

Kerri just slid the plate over to Sam without thinking, the younger hunter barely setting his eyes on the plate before Dean pulled it back in front of her. She instantly took back what she'd been thinking earlier— Dean was being as stubborn as hell lately.

"Dean, I don't want it."

"I don't care."

"I'm not gonna eat it."

"Yes, you are."

"Make me."

"Don't think I won't."

"Big talk."

"Come here."

Kerri had momentarily forgotten about her injuries, her desire to prove Dean wrong getting the better of her. But, the moment she tried to maneuver away from him, her ribs brought her back to reality. She stifled a cry, knowing Dean would blame himself if he realized she was hurting again. After all, he was the one trying to shovel a mountain of food down her throat.

"Alright," Kerri ground out a moment later, her body still crying out. "I'll eat the damn toast."

"And the eggs and bacon."

"Just toast, Sam can have the rest."

"You gotta eat, Ker."

"I know, but you're trying to feed me more than I eat in an entire day." It wasn't exactly a lie, but wasn't really the truth either. At that moment, Kerri was feeling horrible, and she was afraid that, if she ate the bacon and eggs, the food would make a very unwelcome second appearance.

"That's an exaggeration."

"No, it isn't." Kerri bit back, trying to get her point across. She didn't want to tell him she was sick or hurting. Thankfully, Sam seemed to pick up on what she was trying to do.

"She's got a point," Sam began, already eating some of the food on the plate.

"That's a normal amount of food," Dean countered, already digging into his own breakfast.

Kerri let out a sigh, relieved that Dean seemed to have missed how she was really feeling. She didn't want to mislead him, she just didn't feel like having him hover over her all day.

"For you," Sam continued as Kerri began to eat some of the toast.

They all ate in silence for a few minutes, Dean still placing pieces of bacon on the edge of Kerri's plate, almost like she would pick them up and eat them by accident. The quiet was broken a few minutes later, however, when the rest of the Roadhouse's occupants awoke.

"Damn, company comes and we get breakfast." A voice, Ash's, Kerri guessed, floated down the hall, the mullet headed genius appearing a moment later.

Kerri didn't really have anything against Ash or Jo, or even Ellen for that matter; it was just that she was tired and she really didn't want to be the center of everyone's attention. She was used to working on her own, to being alone, and having to field questions from people she'd never met was not at the top of her list of things to do.

Kerri looked up when she heard Ellen, Dean and Sam snicker, wondering what the hell they were all finding so funny. Her questions were answered, though, when her eyes landed on Ash, the man staring at her like he'd never seen a girl before.

"Hi," he began, still looking at her. "I'm Ash." He smiled, making his way over to the hunter, trying to be suave— and failing miserably.

Kerri closed her eyes, praying for patience, Dean was never gonna let her live this down. She gave Ash a half smile, but was saved from answering him by Sam.

"Any more blips on your computer, Ash?" Sam broke in, getting little more than a shrug from the tech. "Ash?"

"Huh?" Ash began, looking over at Sam before reaching for a piece of toast.

"The computer," Dean began, trying to get down to business. "You know, the contraption that told us to get up in the middle of the night and run."

"Yeah, what about it?"

It was Kerri's turn to snicker— for a genius, Ash seemed to lack all traces of common sense. Ash was acting like nothing out of the ordinary had happened, while Dean was staring at him with a look that could kill.

"Uh, is it doing anything we should be worried about. You know, buzzing, beeping, general demon tracking?"

"Nah, no bells since I called Sam. Looks like the thing knows you left."

"That's not creepy sounding at all," Kerri mumbled, picking up another piece of toast. She didn't want to think about the thing that attacked her, didn't want to know it was plotting and planning while she was sitting there eating breakfast. Whatever it was, was after her specifically, and that was more unnerving than she could handle.

"What's not creepy?" Jo asked, coming down the hall.

"Nothing," Dean started, taking a long drink of coffee; it was obvious to everyone that he wasn't about to discuss this hunt in front of her.

"You talking about the thing in Wyoming?" Jo began, sitting on the opposite side of Dean, still pressing the issue.

Kerri looked up at Dean, the hunter's green eyes locked on Ash, the man on the opposite side of the bar finally getting the hint. Kerri felt a little bad for the guy, she'd been on the receiving end of Dean's glare once or twice, and it was not a good place to be. She always figured that it was probably what ants felt like when you shined magnifying glasses at them.

"Yeah," Kerri answered, a headache growing. She really didn't want things to go south before they even got going. "The thing in Wyoming."

"Oh." Jo answered, her eyes going to Kerri— it seemed like the young blonde was actually surprised someone had answered her. "You figure out what it is?"

"No, not really. Except it likes to laugh in the face of physics."

"It's gotta be some kind of demon." Ash broke in, moving away from Dean as fast as he could. "That's what the computer's geared toward."

"No offense, Ash, but it didn't pick up the Demon when it showed up in Colorado." Sam began, pushing away his food.

"Hey, like I said, it's your dad's research that's dropping the ball, not my computer."

"Are you even certain your father's research was about the Demon?" Jo pipped up, obviously happy to be invited to the big kid's table.

"What else could it be?" Dean asked, though Kerri could feel his gaze turn to her, even as she leaned her forehead against the bar.

They hadn't spoke about what the Yellow Eyed Demon had said back in the motel room in Colorado— hell, the three of them had come to a silent agreement not to say anything. She knew Dean was curios though, and she knew Sam had been spending every moment he could while he was at her house trying to unravel the Demon's cryptic message. Kerri, on the other hand, just wished they'd all forget. She knew what the Demon had been talking about, knew why it was there, and she wanted nothing more than to erase the entire night. She was different enough already.

She knew Dean and Sam would figure it out someday, though, knew they'd learn the truth. After all, it was her information that had sent John out on a quest that had changed everyone's lives forever.

"I think I need to lay down for a minute." Kerri began, sliding gingerly off the bar stool. She felt like someone had hit her over the head with a sledgehammer.

"I'll walk you back." Dean began, but Kerri shrugged him off.

"I'm twenty-nine, Dean, I think I can navigate a hallway." She left before he had a chance to reply, moving down the hall as fast as she could.

She just wanted to be alone, to lay in the darkness and let the world around her slip away. She wanted to turn off her racing mind, to let the horror, let the disappointment, let the heartache leave her, she wanted to be empty. Everything was falling down on top of her and she wanted nothing more than for it all to go away, fall off into the comfort of a summer breeze.

She heard a distant ringing, the sound trying to fight pass the pounding in her head. She sat on the edge of one of the beds, popping a few remaining pills before resting her head in her hands. She could feel the pain killers start to take effect, but, though the pain was lessening, the memories still remained.

"You ok?"

Kerri jumped at the voice, the redhead turning to find Dean behind her, his concerned eyes rolling over her as he made his way into the room.

"What part of I wanna be alone don't you get?"

"What can I say, I'm a slow learner."

"Yeah, I've noticed. Just give me a few minutes, Dean, I'll be back out." Kerri said before turning her back to Dean and the door, massaging her still aching head. She felt her heart beat increase slightly when, instead of leaving, Dean moved a few feet closer.

It wasn't all that uncommon for Dean not to leave her alone, hell, he never left her alone when she asked, but something was different with him, she could feel it. Kerri pushed herself up off the bed, startled when she turned around to find Dean no more than a foot away from her. He continued to move forward, Kerri taking a step back, her back hitting the wall behind her.

"Are you sure you're ok, Kerri?"

"Except for you creeping me out, I'm fine."

"What about me's creeping you out?" Dean asked slyly, still moving closer.

"Uh, personal space for one thing."

"Oh come on, Ker, I remember the other night."

"What other night?" Kerri asked, even though she knew perfectly well what he was talking about. But, there was really nothing to talk about.

Before Kerri could say another word Dean closed the distance between them, leaning in and kissing her while he pinned her against the wall. For a fraction of a second, Kerri stood frozen, her mind going into overdrive as she tried to process what was happening. She snapped to though, and brought up her arms, pushing Dean away from her; though she knew he stepped back of his own accord, and not because she had any real strength to fight him off.

"Kerri?" Dean asked, his eyes taking on a strange glint. "Something wrong?"

"Uh, yeah pretty much." Kerri stumbled over her words, her mind still trying to come to grips with the scene unfolding. "I mean, not that that wasn't nice or anything, but what the hell's gotten into you?"

"Oh come on, Ker, I just want a little taste."

Kerri's entire body froze, her heart beating painfully as a chill ran down her spine. It was the exact same phrase Steven had whispered in her ear. And, just like Steven, Dean's eyes took on a hungry glow as a set of fangs appeared. In that instant Kerri did the only thing her overloaded mind could do, she screamed out for Sam.


	10. Chapter 10

_ok, after that last cliffie, i thought i'd get this chapter up nice and quick. this was a big chapter for me to write, and i fought with it before i finally ironed it out. this story is the halfway point of the series :) and well, secrets have to start being answered. and to all the sam fans out there, no worries, he plays a big part in the second half of the series. _

_thank you all once again for the great, great reviews, i hope everyone enjoys the next chapter. _

**PAWNS**

Chapter 10

Sam, Dean, Ellen, Jo and Ash sat at the bar in strained silence, Kerri's quick departure having thrown the conversation off kilter. Nothing could ever be easy for them, Dean thought, pushing his food away. They'd gone to Kerri's house for a visit, something she ragged them on all the time, wondering why they didn't drop by more— and this was what happened. They were thrown into the middle of a hunt, again, but this time it was different. Family was involved, and Dean knew he couldn't lose anyone else.

"So," Jo began, obviously trying to break the tension, and get her questions answered at the same time. "Who's that?"

"A friend," Dean answered, turning back to his coffee.

"A friend from Wyoming?"

"Yes, which you shouldn't know anything about," Dean added, his eyes going to Ash once more. He felt satisfied when he saw Ash shrink back, moving as far away as he could while still remaining at the bar.

This was private business, not some cool new hunt everyone could jump on. Someone at the Roadhouse had already let Sam's secret slip, sending a crazed killer out after his little brother; Dean didn't need the same thing happening to Kerri. If she could remain nothing more than a mystery to the Roadhouse's crew, then Dean would be happy.

"How am I supposed to help if I don't know what's going on?"

"You're not."

The conversation was halted abruptly by the sound of a bell, the distant ring echoing down the long hall. Ash jumped up immediately, his eyes going from Dean to Sam before he began to make his way around the bar. "That's the computer, something's showing up."

Dean ran his hands over his tired face, leaning his elbows on the bar. He just wanted a break. It seemed like every waking moment was spent looking over his shoulder, waiting for attack, waiting for war, and it was draining. There was never anytime to catch his breath, never a second to rest, to regroup. It was just constant fighting, constant running, and he could feel it beating him down.

Dean looked up a moment later, pushing himself off the barstool; he wanted to check on Kerri before Ash told him the thing was standing outside the front door. Dean had no idea what the bell on the computer meant, but, knowing his luck, it couldn't be good. As if in response to his dark thoughts, Kerri's scream broke through the heavy air, her voice slicing through Dean's mind. But, what was even more alarming was that, instead of calling out for him, she was calling out for Sam.

Dean bolted for the room he had been sharing with Kerri, the hunter knowing the other four were right behind him. But his mind was on only one thing, Kerri. She wasn't the kind of person that asked for help, so the fact that she had literally screamed Sam's name had Dean's heart racing. It was all coming together, the bells on the computer, Kerri's obvious distress, and Winchester luck. Whatever had attacked her in Wyoming was here now— and Dean was going to rip it limb from limb.

"Kerri," Dean began, swinging into the room, gun in hand, ready to take out whatever was on the other side of the doorway. The problem was, there was nothing in the room other than Kerri.

She was sitting on the floor in a back corner, her knees pulled up to her chest, arms covering her head. It looked like she was trying to hide inside the wall, making herself invisible to whatever it was that had been attacking her. Dean wanted to run to her side, wanted to shield her from everyone, stand in front of her and challenge any evil thing that dared to come near. He scanned the room quickly, making sure there was no threat, Sam blocking the other three as Dean secured the space. Once satisfied, Dean ran to Kerri.

"Hey, Ker," Dean began, kneeling down in front of his friend, reaching up to pull her hands away from her face. But instead of looking at him, instead of giving him a cocky smile and an 'I'm fine', she jumped back, pushing herself further into the wall at his touch. If he didn't know any better, he'd say she was afraid of him. "Kerri, what's wrong?"

"Kerri?" Sam began, he too moving toward her while Ellen held back Jo and Ash.

Dean reluctantly moved aside when he saw Kerri stir, the redhead looking up when she heard Sam's voice. Her blue eyes travelled over both brothers, her gaze lingering on Dean for several long seconds before turning to Sam. She seemed to come to her senses when she saw everyone around the room, and Dean reached for her again when he saw her visibly relax. But she just jumped away, pushing herself even further into the corner, her eyes going back to Sam immediately.

"Kerri, it's me," Dean stated, wondering why the girl he'd known since he was six was suddenly afraid of him.

"Christo."

The word was barely more than a whisper, but to Dean, she may as well have screamed it. She was still looking at him like he was the enemy, her body beginning to shake slightly, even as Sam moved closer. Trust was never something Dean and Kerri lacked, hell, he'd trusted her since the day they'd first met. Kerri was different from everyone, it was obvious the moment they met, but today, those twenty three years seemed to have been completely erased. Kerri was afraid of him, and Dean knew it was something he wouldn't be able to handle. He'd promised to protect her, promised to look out for her, to be there for her, and now all those promises were slipping through his hands.

"Kerri," Sam began, Dean taking a step back without being told. Something was wrong with Kerri, there was no denying it now, and at that moment, Dean couldn't have felt like more of a failure. Not only had he failed to protect her home, now she was being attacked while he was eating toast mere feet away. "What's going on?"

"That's not Dean," Kerri answered slowly, her eyes scanning Dean like he was some kind of impostor.

"Yes it is."

"No, something happened to him."

"Kerri, what the hell are you talking about? You were just out in the bar eating with him."

"I don't know if it happened when he was outside or when he followed me in here, but that isn't Dean."

"I didn't follow you in here," Dean began, realization suddenly dawning on him. Something else was here, and it had stolen his identity.

"Yes you did," Kerri answered, he voice growing stronger by the minute.

"No, I didn't. I just got here."

"Why're you lying, I saw you."

"Kerri," Sam broke in, his voice cutting through the growing argument. "Dean was out in the bar with us the whole time. We came back when you yelled my name."

At that moment, Dean's heart sank. Kerri looked so broke, so beaten down, so confused, and he didn't know what to say or do to fix it. Whatever attacked her had obviously done a pretty good job of impersonating him— after all, Kerri had known Dean most of her life, and she was probably the only person other than Sam that would be able to pick out an impostor.

"He was here," Kerri whispered, visibly shrinking. "I swear he was here."

"It wasn't me," Dean stated again, taking a few tentative steps forward, relieved when Kerri didn't flitch. He still couldn't move past the fear in her eyes, though, couldn't move beyond the fact that Kerri had not only sworn Dean was in the room with her, but that he had actually tried to hurt her.

Dean could feel the breath catch in his throat as he looked into her expressive eyes, the air around him growing stiller and heavier as the once large room seemed to shrink. They had drifted even further apart than he'd originally thought, and it was like a knife right to his heart. Kerri was one of the few constants in his life and, when he really thought about it, the only person other than his mother that hadn't left him on purpose. Sam went to school, John left on his secret hunts, but Kerri, she never left of her own free will, no, that absence was a result of their fathers. And, when all was said and done, Kerri had come back of her own accord, walked freely into his life with no questions asked. And now, now she was afraid of him.

Without another word, Dean left the room. He needed air, needed space, needed time to think. And, if he found the Dean doppleganger, he was gonna tear it apart. He pushed through the screen door at the back of the hall, not even hesitating when he heard it slam behind him. Nothing had come through the bar in the moments before Kerri's attack, and Dean knew the back door was the only other point of entry. He silently cursed himself, thinking of every precaution he had taken trying to protect his friend. He'd laid salt at every door and window, carved symbol after symbol into the outer walls of the Roadhouse, hell, he'd even gone the hoodoo route. And still, nothing helped.

But the thing had to be here somewhere. It hadn't been that long since Kerri was attacked, and, even though Dean knew the supernatural world didn't always play fair, the thing, whatever it was, had to be close. He searched around the few old cars in the back parking lot, the junkers offering a perfect place for something to hide. Deep down, though, he knew he wouldn't find anything. He hadn't hear it come through the back door, hadn't heard it walking down the hall, so why should it be outside waiting for him to find it?

"Dean?" Sam's voice broke Dean's concentration, the older hunter turning stern eyes to his brother.

It wasn't Sam's fault, Dean knew that, but the fact that Kerri had turned to the younger man was still a very sore subject for Dean. "What, Sam?"

"She knows it wasn't you."

"Yeah, right," Dean mumbled, leaning on the hood of one of the cars. He was tired, there was no other way to describe it. He was just tired of it all. "That why she jumped away each time I got within ten feet?"

"Dean."

"Don't, Dean, me, Sam. I know she's afraid of me."

"She's afraid of something that attacked her, not you. Kerri could never be afraid of you."

"Why not? I'm not that normal a guy, Sam. Knowing me is like a death sentence, so tell me, why can't she be afraid of me?"

"Because she can't," Sam answered, and Dean knew he was struggling to believe his own statement. In that moment, Sam was the moppy hair little boy Dean remembered, the kid that once ate so many smores, he made himself sick— he was the kid Dean hadn't seen in over twelve years. "I mean, we've known her basically my whole life."

"No we haven't, Sam," Dean answered, voicing a fear they both harbored. They didn't know her, not anymore. "We knew her when we were kids, there's a difference."

"There doesn't have to be."

And there it was. Every fiber of Dean's being wanted Sam's statement to be true. He wanted to erase time, wanted to forget the twelve years they'd lost, the twelve years in which the Harrisons slipped away. Everything had spiraled so far beyond Dean's reach, the memories crashing around him like panes of glass. Too much was lost, too much was taken, and, try as he might, Dean couldn't stop the darkness from taking more.

Dean's answer died on his lips when he saw Sam tense, his eyes growing wide as he stared at something behind his brother. Dean tensed on instinct, knowing Sam wouldn't come to attention like that if there wasn't some kind of threat. The elder Winchester could feel his heart beating faster, adrenaline pumping as he turned around slowly, his hand sliding to a concealed gun as he moved.

"Don't even think about it." A voice commanded, and Dean almost had to laugh.

"Ash?" Dean asked, turning around fully, his hands slightly raised. He didn't know what had come over the man, but Dean knew a gun in the hand of a novice was a very dangerous thing.

"Stay still."

"Ash, what's wrong?"

"I won't let you near her again."

"Are you joking?" Dean asked, incredulously, even though he knew the smaller man was dead serious.

Dean wanted to scream— it hadn't been him, hell Ash was standing right next to him when Kerri screamed. This was all getting to be very, very confusing and Dean could feel a headache growing. He took a few steps closer, hoping Ash would come to whatever senses he had. He stopped in his tracks though when, instead of lowering the gun, Ash switched off the safety.

"Let's just talk about this, Ash."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"You know it wasn't me, dude, I was standing right next to you all freaking morning."

"Doesn't matter. You could have an accomplice."

"An accomplice that happens to look just like me? I thought you were supposed to be some kind of genius."

"Dean, you're really not helping," Sam whispered, still standing a few feet behind his brother. But, at that moment, Dean didn't think anything would help, everyone at the Roadhouse had apparently gone crazy.

"Hey, Dean," Ellen's voice rang out over the back parking lot, Dean turning toward her as she rounded the corner. He didn't want to take his eyes off Ash, but he didn't want anyone else walking into an ambush either. Dean was surprised though when Ellen's eyes remained on him and Sam, almost like she couldn't see Ash at all. "What're you two doing?"

"Ellen— wha-?" Dean stumbled over his words, lowering his arms when he turned back around to find Ash gone. He'd only taken his eyes off the man for a second, there was no possible way he could have run for cover in that short time.

"Where'd he go?" Sam asked, Dean thankful he wasn't the only one losing his mind. "I mean, I just blinked and nothing."

"Where'd who go?" Ellen responded, immediately on edge.

"Ash."

"Ash? He's inside with Kerri and Jo."

"No, he was right here, pointing a gun at us."

"Ash? With a gun? Are you sure, Sweetie?"

"Don't sweetie us," Dean began, his voice sharper than he really intended. Everything was going from bad to worse and fast. "Ash was just standing here trying to kill us."

"I'm telling you, Dean, Ash has been inside fawning over Kerri since you left."

"What the hell," Dean mumbled, running his hand over his face. He was at a complete loss.

"I came out to tell you he's getting the same readings he got from Valley."

"Yeah, I pretty much guessed that. Let's get back inside."

The three made their way back inside in silence, Dean following behind, his sharp eyes scanning every inch of the parking lot. Something was still there, waiting just out of eyes shot, he could feel it. It was like something was playing with them, toying with them, and whatever it was had it out for Kerri. Dean's mind drifted back to the bracelet, the small piece of silver shining from a long forgotten memory.

He'd taken it from Sam and Evelyn when the two seven year olds had come into the forest to save their siblings from the Watcher. Dean shivered at the memory— he'd never forgotten the Watcher, had never forgotten the way its eyes bored into his, never forgot the creature's icy voice as it sang on the distant summer winds. It had nearly killed Kerri, but, more than that, it was Dean's first taste of a real hunt, and it was something he never wanted to relive. And then, the entire thing had ended when he fell into the water, when he let an unassuming silver bracelet break the surface of a forgotten lake.

Dean had no doubt in his mind the bracelet was powerful, but a lot of the artifacts Kerri harbored were strong, possibly stronger than the bracelet. So why was something going to all this trouble to get it from her. Jo's words floated through Dean's mind as he made his way down the dark hall, maybe his father's research wasn't all about the Demon. As much as Dean didn't want believe it, Kerri was more involved with the Yellow Eyed Demon than he knew. Hell, the thing had lured them into a trap no more than a month ago, and Kerri herself even said it was her phone call to John that had sent him on his hunt for the Yellow Eyed Demon, a hunt that cost the Winchesters more than they ever thought possible.

Dean was pulled out of his memories when he rounded the corner, walking into the large bar. Kerri was sitting at one of the stools, her arms folded across the worn wood, chin resting on her wrists. She was staring off at some point he couldn't see, her eyes distant and lost, the twenty-nine year old seemingly oblivious to the world around her. Ash was sitting to her right, jabbering on about something as he typed away on his computer, while Jo sat on Kerri's left studying the older girl like she was some new found species.

"What's wrong with you guys?" Jo asked, her attention turning immediately to the brothers.

"Ash?" Sam began, moving to sit beside the genius while Dean held back.

"Huh, what?" Ash looked up innocently, and Dean knew instantly that whatever was outside was definitely not Ash.

"Ellen said you got something," Sam stated, his eyes going to Kerri momentarily before turning to the computer.

"Yeah, but nothing you haven't guessed. The thing's back."

"Any idea what it is?"

"No, except I think it knows I'm trying to track it."

"Why do you think that?" Sam asked, worried eyes turning to his brother.

Dean instantly tensed, his eyes scanning the large bar again. He thought they were one step ahead of the thing, that the computer could give them a much needed advantage— but instead, they were being played with by something none of them understood.

"It keeps popping up here and there. Usually, stuff stays constant, you know. Like if it finds a demon, the demon stays on the computer, not this here one second gone the next crap."

"I don't think it's a demon," Kerri spoke up. "Demons possess people, they can't duplicate someone else."

"Shape-shifter?" Jo pipped up.

"No. Shape-shifters can only take on a human's identity, they can't turn from vampires to spirits."

"So we're still at square one, wonderful." Dean began, pushing off the wall. He couldn't stand still, couldn't sit back and wait for the bad guy to make the next move. "You need to tell me where the bracelet is, Kerri."

"We've already had this discussion. It's safe where it is."

"So what, you're happy to let whatever this thing is kill you to keep some stupid bracelet safe?"

"And what if it was the Colt?"

"I wouldn't risk my life for a freaking gun."

"Dean." Sam tried to break in, but he was on a roll.

"I'm sick of this, Kerri."

"Sick of what, Dean? My job?"

"It's not a job, it's you're life."

"Hypocritical much?"

"You're hiding, Kerri. I mean, you're not even trying to get out of this. What the hell's so important?"

"You wanna know what's important, Dean. My entire family's gone, hell, I've never once been able to save anyone, except Sam. That bracelet is the reason he's alive, so forgive me if I don't wanna toss the only thing I own that's worth a damn into the hands of some demon."

"Don't you play the Sam card on me. I know there's more to it than that. Like the fact that I've never once had something go to this kind of trouble to get the Colt from me. I can see right though you, Kerri, this has something to do with my dad's research. Now spill."

Kerri stood, and Dean had to force himself not to step back. She had never looked at him like that before. Her eyes were always soft and knowing, like she could not only see the world around her, but something else beyond the facade. This look, though, was dangerous. She was staring him down, challenging him to let it go, and every fiber of Dean's being wanted to. He wanted life to be the way it was, wanted to go back to an easier time, a time when the consequences weren't as great. But he knew he couldn't stand down, knew he couldn't give up. This was his family, his entire reason for being, and he knew he couldn't let anymore secrets destroy it.

Dean could feel the other's eyes on him, the tension in the air weighing heavily on his shoulders— but he didn't care, in that instant, all he could see was Kerri.

"Just let it go." Kerri spoke after several moments, her body still tense.

"No, I'v let it go too many times already. You used to tell me everything."

"No I didn't."

"What?"

"I never told you everything. I told you what you wanted to hear."

Dean knew the tactic, knew Kerri was trying to weasel her way out of the entire conversation, but that didn't make her words hurt any less.

"I think we should all relax, get some time alone," Ellen's voice broke through Dean's mind, bringing him back from the void he'd been falling into.

"We all need to stay in pairs," Dean spoke up, knowing whatever was after them was still in the area. "I'll stay with Kerri."

"Dean," Ellen began, but Dean wasn't bargaining.

"I'm staying with Kerri."

"Alright. Jo, honey, help me get the place set up for later." Jo shot her mom a glare, but followed anyway, the young barmaid obviously wanting to stay to witness Dean and Kerri's showdown.

"Ash," Sam spoke up, his eyes still on his brother and Kerri. "Let's head back to the kitchen, it'll be quiet there, easier to go over what's on the computer."

"Sure," Ash answered, grabbing his computer and hurrying down the hall. Unlike Jo, he had no desire to watch what could turn into a very ugly argument.

Once he was sure they were alone, Dean turned to Kerri once more.

"You got me alone, happy," Kerri stated, though she seemed to shirk into herself at the statement. After all, 'Dean' had attacked her not even an hour before.

"Oh yeah, thrilled. I wanted nothing more than to get into a shouting match today."

"You're the one that started it."

"I already have a headache, you know." Dean began, rubbing his forehead as he sat at the bar, relieved when Kerri sat beside him. He really didn't want to fight with her, but that seemed like the only way to get through to her lately. She was more reckless than Dean had ever remembered her being, and that was saying something. He just wanted to help her, just wanted to find out what was going on, because he was afraid that, if he didn't, he would be forced to watch her die.

"You gonna blame that on me, too?"

"Why not."

"Thanks."

"Look, Ker, deny it all you want, but I'm trying to help."

"I know, but you'll help more if you just let it go."

"That's some twisted logic. Kerri, whatever secrets you're hiding have been putting you right in the line of fire. I mean, first the Yellow Eyed Demon and now this. Do you wanna be a martyr?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Don't turn this around on me."

"Look, Dean, I'm not who you think I am."

"That's not true."

"Yes, it is. I've been keeping secrets since I was a kid."

"Yeah, I know. That doesn't change who you are as a person."

"Doesn't it? I'm more involved in all of this than you know."

"Then why don't you just tell me? I mean, nothing you tell me can be worse than what's happening now."

Dean's heart skipped a beat when he saw the look in Kerri's eyes. He couldn't place the emotions he saw cross her face, couldn't figure out what was so horrible that she had locked it away inside her.

"Because, I don't want to lose you, Dean. Everything else is gone, I can't watch you walk away."

"I'll never walk away from you."

"Even the great Dean Winchester can't keep a promise like that."

"Kerri, what secrets could you possibly hide that would change the last twenty-three years?"

"You'd be surprised."

"Look, Ker, I can't promise I'll be here forever, that something won't cut me down on the next hunt. But I'm telling you now, nothing you say to me can make me turn my back on you."

"I'm my father's research."

"Huh? Like frankenstein?"

Kerri shot Dean a glare, but visibly relaxed. Dean, on the other hand tensed. Yes, his father had trained him to be a hunter, but he'd never placed him directly in the line of fire, if anything he kept his sons far away from the real danger. Apparently, Tom Harrison had done the opposite.

"You're dad found out what my dad had done."

"Kerri, what did your dad do?"

"I know everything he's ever hunted, every piece of research he's ever seen, the hiding place of each and every artifact he's ever touched or heard about. I'm everything."

"How?"

"My dad had a lot of connections, it was like an experiment, I guess. They say people only use ten percent of their brain."

"So what? He filled it with all his memories?"

"Safer than a journal."

"Are you kidding me?"

"I wish I was, Dean. I really do."

"So, this thing that's after you?"

"I guess my secret's out. It started, after—."

"After what?"

"After your dad died. I don't know if something happened when he went downstairs or not."

"Has anything else come after you?"

"Not like this. But questions have been asked."

"And you didn't think this was something I needed to know?"

"I didn't want anyone else involved."

"Why, because you thought I'd spill your secret?"

"No, because I didn't want to take anyone else down with me. I should never have left that note, it was a mistake, but damn it, Dean, I couldn't help myself. I mean, I didn't think you'd answer it, I just— I should have let it go. I should have just let go."

"Why, so the information could die with you? That's bull, Kerri."

"It's the least I could do."

"This isn't your fault."

"Your dad left when he found out what I knew, he went after that damn Demon and look what happened. What I know's dangerous, Dean, and I'd rather it died with me than kill everyone around me."

"So, my dad's research. All that paper work we're using to fuel Ash's piece of crap computer?"

"It's my information. Well, it started as mine, your dad kind of went off the tracking deep end."

"And that whole year I couldn't find my dad, that whole time, you knew where he was?"

"No. Like I said, I spoke to him after Evelyn died, never again. I may keep secrets, but I don't lie."

"Semantics, Kerri."

"You promised not to get mad."

"No, I promised not to leave, I never said anything about not being pissed."

"Dean, I'm sorry, it's just. I never wanted to know any of this, I never wanted to be apart of anything. When you and Sam are around, I'm normal, I just couldn't face the idea that you guys would leave if I told you."

"Like I said before, Kerri, there's nothing you could say or do to make me go away."

Dean knew beyond a doubt his statement was true. Now that he had her back, he didn't think he could ever turn his back on her. No matter how much he wanted to protect her, no matter how much he wished for her to live a normal life, he knew she never would. She was trapped in the hunting world just like the rest of them, and no amount of hope was going to change that. They were what they were, and come hell or high water, it was going to have to be enough.


	11. Chapter 11

_:) back again. thank you all so, so much for the great reviews, i love them all!! enjoy the next installment. _

**PAWNS**

Chapter 11

Sam sat at the small kitchen table, his eyes continually wandering to Ash as the other man sat typing on the computer. He looked normal, well, as normal as Ash ever was, but that didn't lessen Sam's nerves one bit. If anything, it stressed him out more. He'd been certain the man in the parking lot was Ash, hell if he was in Vegas he'd have bet on it. It just looked and sounded so much like him. But Ellen had been insistent, and the fact that Kerri had been attacked by 'Dean' shortly before reenforced the fact that something was running around with their identities. And that meant it could be anyone. Sam shifted in his seat, he suddenly felt like the 'dead-guy' in a cheap horror flick.

"You find anything?" Sam asked after a few minutes, needing to break the silence.

"Does it look like I found anything?"

"Sorry."

"So," Ash began a few minutes later, looking up from the computer. "Who is she?"

Sam should have known the question was going to come back up, after all, Dean had failed to give Jo an answer at breakfast. "A friend."

"I've gathered. She a hunter?"

"She says no. But yeah, pretty much. She's ammo and info."

"Info?"

"Yeah, she's out there trying to give you a run for your money."

"And she can't figure out what this is?"

"Can you figure out what this is?" Sam turned the question back on Ash. After all, that's why they were here.

"No, and I don't think I'll be able to."

"Why's that?" Sam asked, the disappointment evident in his voice. He was really hoping for a quick fix to this whole mess.

" 'cause I think this thing's showing up on my computer on purpose."

"Why would it do that?'

"It's playing with us. It wants us to know its here."

"Nothing can ever be easy." Sam sighed, standing and pacing the small room. He couldn't stand still, not while this thing was stalking them.

"I think it's concentrating all its efforts on Kerri, though, if that helps."

"Oh yeah, tons."

"Come on Sam spill, who is she? One of Dean's girlfriends?"

Sam had to laugh at the question— one of Dean's girlfriends. No, that Kerri was not, and Sam didn't think they ever would be. The pair was just too alike, too free, too afraid of settling down. They would probably be perfect together, Sam thought, if life hadn't screwed them up so badly.

"No, she'd a childhood friend. Her dad used to hunt with our dad."

"He die, too?" Sam turned to find Jo standing behind him, the young girl fixing him with a steely glare.

"Yeah, a few years ago. He and Kerri's sister were killed by the Yellow Eyed Demon."

"Oh," Jo began, deflating a bit.

"Yeah, my dad had nothing to do with it, if that's what you were implying."

Sam knew Jo was hurting, knew the young girl was confused and wanted answers, but the hunting world was not the place to turn to. Hunting meant heartbreak and loss, and he just wished there was some way to get that idea through Jo's stubborn head. She didn't want to be a hunter, didn't want to be like Kerri, no matter how much she thought the opposite.

"I went back out to see the fight, but I guess I missed it." Jo began again, trying to become part of the 'group'.

Sam knew without a doubt that Jo was jealous of Kerri. Hell, Sam was, too, to a certain extent. Kerri got to see a side of Dean no one else did, a softer side, the side that wasn't a hunter. She was the closest woman in his life besides Mary, and Sam knew Jo wanted that spot to herself. But then, Kerri and Dean had been through a lot together, hell, Kerri had almost died when she was eleven, there was no way anyone would ever take her place in his brother's heart.

"Yeah well, them fighting isn't all that rare. Give it time."

"So, her dad was a hunter?" Jo continued, Sam just closing his eyes. He guessed he wasn't getting out of it.

"Yeah, Tom Harrison. Your mom knew him."

"She never said anything about him."

"Not much to say, I guess. Plus, I'm sure she meets lots of hunters."

"She does, but she used to talk about John all the time."

Sam was at a loss for an answer, Ellen's statement from their first meeting coming back to him. '_There was a time when he was like family.'_

Once again, Sam felt the loss of his father burning in him, threatening to overtake him. His dad had lived a life he and Dean had never known, their father such an interracial part of the hunting world that nearly every hunter knew of his death within days. And Sam and Dean hadn't known about any of it. Sam thought there were only a handful of hunter, only the few he'd met through Bobby and Tom, but after John's death, Sam learned the true extent of the world in which they lived— and the fact that nearly every hunter knew exactly who Sam and Dean Winchester were.

"I don't think Tom came around as often. He was pretty much based out of his house."

"Oh."

"Oh, what?" Kerri asked, coming into the small kitchen, Dean following behind.

"Nothing." Jo answered, though her gaze remained on Kerri.

"You nerds find anything?" Dean asked, still standing close to Kerri. Sam had to smile; based on the look in Kerri's eyes, Dean was really starting to annoy her.

"Well, as creepy as it sounds, we think whatever it is is setting off the computer on purpose." Sam answered, sitting back at the table.

"Well, that's great. So, we're hunting a coward that thinks it's funny."

"Don't make it mad, Dean." Kerri spoke, her voice strong, though Sam could hear a small tremor in it. And, much to Sam's surprise, Dean instantly stilled.

"Jo." Ellen's voice echoed down the hall, breaking the building tension in the small kitchen. The barmaid rounded the corner a moment later, "This doesn't look like setting up for business to me."

"Sorry," Jo mumbled, shooting Dean a glance as she headed out the door.

"I'll help," Kerri began, earning a strange look from Sam, Dean and Ash. "What, I wanna help."

"Suit yourself," Dean began, turning to follow her from the room.

"That doesn't mean follow me, Dean."

"I'm not letting you out of my sight."

"Alright, the next time I get attacked I promise I'll call you and not Sam." Kerri smirked, though the joke didn't go over all that well with Dean.

"I'm being serious."

"So am I. Stop following me." Kerri left the room before Dean had a chance to reply, but, knowing his brother, nothing was gonna stop the older man.

Having been someone Dean looked out for all his life, Sam knew where Kerri was coming from. Having Dean looking out for you could be seriously annoying, especially when any type of danger was near. He just started hovering, and it was something Sam always found draining. Dean had the attention span of a gnat, and after a few minutes of 'hovering' he normally got antsy, which meant questions, twitches, and downright annoyance.

That being said, Sam also understood Dean's point of view. So much happened when you let your guard down, the darkness waiting at every corner, ready to strike. Who knew what could happen to Kerri if Dean took his eyes off her, even for a moment.

"I'll follow them, Dean," Sam began, standing when he saw Dean turn toward the door. Sam regretted what he said the instant Dean turned to him.

His older brother looked so hurt that it made Sam step back. And then it hit the younger hunter. Ever since the Watcher, Dean had sworn to protect Kerri, to look out for her, but recently, he didn't seem to be able to keep that promise. And, just one short hour ago, Kerri had been attacked, and instead of calling out for Dean, she'd called out for Sam.

"You think she'll let you tag along?" Dean asked, though Sam knew the true meaning of the statement. Would Kerri prefer Sam was with her instead of Dean.

"No, that's why I'm not gonna let them know I'm following. They're setting up the bar, right?" Sam asked, turning to Ash.

"Uh, yeah." Ash began, looking more confused my the minute.

"I can hear them from the other kitchen. They'll never be the wiser."

"You're gonna get on the bad-side of two women?" Dean asked, relaxing a little now that he knew someone would be watching Kerri. "Brave man."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Sam answered, relieved to see his brother stand down. Dean was under a lot of stress, of that Sam was certain, and the older man probably needed as much time away from Kerri as Kerri needed from him. Yes, they were close, but Sam knew everyone needed time apart, no matter how strong the bond.

Sam made his way down the hall, turning into the large kitchen once he was sure the girls were in the main bar. He felt bad for eavesdropping, but he wanted to keep an eye on Kerri. She had been the target of this thing since the beginning, and he knew not to leave her alone. Hell, the second time she was attacked, she was just down the hall.

He stilled when he heard Jo's voice echo in from the bar.

"So, how long have you known Dean?"

"We met when we were six," Kerri answered, though Sam could tell she was just being polite.

He didn't really think Jo and Kerri would hit it off— not that they'd be hostile to each other, they were just different. Jo had a wide eyed, childlike approach to the world of hunters, ignoring the danger and death, choosing instead to believe whatever romantic notions she'd gotten from drunken stories. Kerri, on the other hand, knew what was out there, and she didn't sugar coat the truth one bit.

"So," Jo began again, obviously trying to milk the conversation for all it was worth. "You're a hunter like them?"

"I try not to be."

"How come?"

"Being a hunter isn't something you wanna be."

"Yeah well, as soon I can get out of here, I'm gonna be one." Jo stated, standing up a little straighter, like she was trying to prove something to the world.

Sam always felt a little sorry for Jo. She wanted to avenge her father's death, wanted to carry on something he believed enough in to die for. It was admirable, and it was childish. Vengeance wasn't the answer, Sam had learned that the hard way, but it was also the driving force of almost all hunters. People in this life wanted to right a wrong, give a voice back to those who'd been silenced. They fought long and hard for justice, but, Sam had learned, no matter how hard you fought, no matter how much blood and sweat you spilled, the people you lost never once came back.

"You have no idea what's out there, Jo." Kerri began, her voice more weary than Sam had ever heard.

Kerri was tired, it was obvious now. The world had taken her down, broken her and left her, and now she was just going through the motions. It was such a different picture from the girl Sam had known. The Kerri of their childhoods was brazen and alive, pushing the boundaries, and taking on those who pushed back. She never accepted the inevitable, never let the tides of time guide her— until now, that is. Something happened in the twelve year absence, something more than losing her family, Sam could see it, he just wished he knew what it was.

"Of course I do." Jo answered back, though her tone made her sound like even more of a child. "I helped Sam and Dean out on a hunt, you know."

"Yeah, I heard you make great bait."

"I wasn't bait."

"Trust me, Jo. When you're with a Winchester, you're always bait."

Sam felt his heart stop, the stabbing pain of Kerri's words almost taking him down. He didn't mean it that way, he never wanted to place anyone in danger, but Kerri was right. In that instant Sam was happy he'd followed them instead of Dean— Kerri's words, while completely true, would have destroyed his brother.

"I knew what I was doing." Jo's voice brought Sam back out of his spiraling mind.

"That's not what I meant. Look, Jo, don't repeat this, especially to Sam and Dean. You can get out of this, you can walk away— you need to walk away. Being with the Winchesters, it's dangerous. So many things are out there looking for them, waiting for them, and no matter what they say or do, no matter how much they fight to save the people around them, nothing changes the truth. When you become a part of their lives, you become a pawn.

"The evil that's out there— it knows who Sam and Dean are, and it knows who they love. When you get close to them, you're jumping into the line of fire, and even they can't save everyone."

"I'm good enough to take care of myself."

"No, you're not. Not against what those boys hunt. I know you think there's a world out there passing by while you're stuck on the sidelines, but trust me, you're not missing anything. I've been there, Jo, for all of it. Once you're in, you can never get out."

"I'm already a part of it."

"You're not, Jo. Look, I know your dad died because of this, and I know it's gotta hurt like hell. But you're not a part of it."

"And you are?"

"Yeah, I am. I'm so deep in I can't get out. Believe me, I've tried. Hell, I was even engaged, I had my own business, I had a lot. But when all was said and done, the demons didn't care, they just took and took. I know Sam and Dean can seem larger than life, but hunting isn't a place for you."

Sam stood in shocked silence, his heart broken by Kerri's stern and curt words. Everything she said was true, and that was somehow more devastating than any lie she could have told. They were pawns, all of them. His mom, Jessica, Evelyn, Tom, everyone, they were all used against them, killed because of what he was. To the demons of the world they were all just stepping stones on the way to him and Dean, and until that moment, Sam had refused to see it.

Kerri, though, she knew the truth of the world around her, the life she lived, and she accepted it. And suddenly, all the recent hunts they'd taken her on made sense. She believed she was nothing more than a pawn in the greater war around them, and she was prepared to give up her own life if it meant she could give the brothers an edge.

Sam's mind wandered to the allies they still had, the young hunter looking back out into the bar, watching Kerri and Jo work in silence. Bobby, Ellen, Ash, Jo, Kerri, they were all pawns, all standing in the line of fire, target practice. But Sam refused to admit he was powerless, refused to believe he'd have to place those around him in danger to keep himself safe. The evil of the world was fighting for dominance, but Sam, he was fighting for family, and by god, he was gonna win.


	12. Chapter 12

_Thank you all so, so much for great reviews they really make my day. This was originally part of the last chapter, but it got really, really long. :) enjoy. _

**PAWNS**

Chapter 12

"I guess you know the truth now, Sam."

Sam froze, the voice behind him sending chills racing up and down his spine. He turned slowly, his heartbeat growing faster and faster with each passing second. There was no way, it just wasn't possible.

"You," Sam breathed, turning to the figure behind him. It was an illusion, it had to be.

"Me."

"You're dead."

"Come on, Sam, nothing's gone forever."

The voice reminded Sam of going home again, his heart yearning, mind falling back to a time when he was safe, whole— and he wanted it all to stop.

"Shut up," Sam ground out, though he couldn't tear his eyes away. _Nothing lasts forever._ He wanted to run, wanted to scream, to hit something— but all he could do was stand and stare. She looked just as he thought she would, her long hair falling down past her shoulders, icy blue eyes shinning against her pale skin. She smiled warmly at him, a gentle playfulness reflected in her expressive eyes. She was everything she was supposed to be— except for the fact that she wasn't dead.

"Is that anyway to greet an old friend?"

"You're not real."

"Yes I am." She moved closer, reaching out to touch his elbow.

Sam wanted to pull away, knew he should have pulled away, but it had been so long, and she was right there, and he'd missed her so much. Her hand was like ice, though, the cold seeping through his shirt, numbing his arm. He wanted her to be real, with all his heart, but he knew that was no longer possible.

"Evelyn, I'm sorry." Sam didn't know what else to say. He'd let her down, turned his back on her when they were children, and she'd died before he had a chance to right that wrong. But here she was, twenty-two and whole, just as she'd been before the Demon stole her. Sam had so many things he wanted to say to her, but he was at a loss.

"I know this is a trick," Sam began after a few moments, pulling away from the girl. "All of it's a trick. Vampire Dean, Steven, Ash, you— it's all the same thing."

"Sam?" Kerri's voice broke through the heavy air like a battering ram, Sam turning at the sound. "Who're you talking to?"

Sam spun back around, the spot where Evelyn had stood was now vacant. He knew it wasn't real, knew it was all part of whatever was attacking Kerri, but god he missed Evelyn. He'd grown up with her, laughed with her, hell, he'd been closer to her than almost anyone, save for Dean. And then, he'd made the long trip back to Valley to find only Kerri, and it wasn't fair. He needed Evelyn to be there more than even he knew. Valley was sanctuary and safety, but without Evelyn, it was icy, cold and empty.

"Sam?" Kerri asked again when he didn't answer, "are you ok?"

"Yeah," Sam forced out, coughing a second later. His entire body ached, like he'd been held underwater too long, his lungs burning with each breath he took. He could feel the room begin to tilt as he stood, everything swimming out of focus for a few seconds. He vaguely registered Jo's voice as she called out for Dean and Ellen, the young barmaid running down the hall as the room pitched and swayed again before Sam felt himself drifting off into darkness.

Sam felt the tiles against his back first, the cold floor sending a chill through his body, making him tremble slightly. His senses returned to him slowly, the world around him gradually coming into focus. What was he doing on the floor? The last thing he remembered was standing in the main kitchen of the Roadhouse— talking to Evelyn. Evelyn; the name brought back a flood of both memories and reality. Evelyn had been his best friend, one of the closest people in his life— she'd also died three years ago.

Sam tried to sit up, the world around him still muted and hazy. He didn't get more than an inch, though, before a strong hand pushed him back down.

"Whoa there, Sammy, take it easy."

"Dean?" Sam asked, his voice weaker than he thought it should be.

"The one and only," Dean sighed, and Sam could hear the tension in his voice.

"I thought I told you to stay in the back kitchen?" Sam mumbled, finally focusing on what was going on around him.

He was laying on the floor, his head resting in Kerri's lap, Dean at his side while the rest of the Roadhouse's occupants stood around him. Kerri was running her hand over his forehead, brushing back his hair with the soothing motion and Sam could feel himself drifting off, his aching body relaxing against her. But Dean's worried and tense features made Sam fight to stay awake.

"You did, Sammy, like an hour ago."

"An hour? Dean, I only left you ten minutes ago."

"That would be ten minutes before the whole passing out in Kerri's arms ordeal." Dean bit out, though Sam could tell the sarcasm wasn't really there.

"What?" It was all Sam could manage. He'd been unconscious for almost an hour, but he didn't even remember passing out.

"My thoughts exactly, Sammy. Do you think you can stand?"

"Yeah, I think so," Sam began a minute later, his brother offering him a hand up while Kerri steadied him from behind. Ellen, Jo and Ash seemed to have the good sense to let Dean and Kerri take care of him. The youngest Winchester still had no idea what had happened to him, but passing out in Kerri's arms was definitely call for alarm. Whatever 'Evelyn' really was, she'd done a number on him.

The trio made it back to their room as quickly as they could, Sam still swaying and stumbling as Kerri and Dean did their best to support the much taller man. Sam's mind wandered back to the kitchen as he walked, the events of the last hour slowly coming back to him. He'd seen Evelyn, talked with her even though he'd only been a few feet from Kerri and Jo at the time. He knew he should have been quiet, knew he should have taken more precautions, but the image of Evelyn had stolen away every one of his senses. It was like she was reaching out for him, calling to him, and he couldn't turn away.

"What'd you hear?" Sam asked suddenly, surprising himself when he heard the words. He'd been thinking it, but he hadn't really meant to say it.

"What'd who hear?" Dean shot back, maneuvering Sam onto the bed.

"Kerri. I thought you said something before I went out?" Sam turned toward Kerri. He knew full well what Kerri had said to him, but he didn't want to alarm Dean any further. His brother was still reeling from the fact that Kerri had been attacked twice now, Sam could feel it, and he knew the older man didn't need anything else to worry about. Say for instance, Kerri's dead sister putting the whammy on him.

"I asked who you were talking to." Kerri answered a few minutes later, sitting in the chair by his bed. She continued to run her hand over his forehead, his headache ebbing away beneath the touch— her presence was a greater comfort than he remembered.

"She already told me your were mumbling on about something so it's no use to lie, Sammy." Dean began, his tone leaving no room for interpretation. But, something his brother said struck Sam— 'mumbling on about something'. So, Kerri hadn't actually heard what he was saying.

"I don't remember." Sam answered after a few moments. He knew Evelyn wasn't real, knew it was a trick played by whatever was hunting them, but she was still Kerri's sister, and after what she'd said to Jo, Sam knew Kerri wouldn't take the revelation well.

He was still reeling from her sharp words, her view of life, death and the world around her blunt and true. She never sugar coated anything, not even for herself. Nothing ever came of make believe, Sam had learned that as a young child. The world outside the door was frighteningly real and equally as hard, but hearing the words Kerri had spoken, hearing her talk so freely about her role in their lives was still like a knife to his chest.

He loved her, cared about her, cherished her, but she was right, in their line of work, it wasn't safe to have family, wasn't safe to care, because evil always seemed to know who you loved the most.

"Sam," Dean sighed, his voice edged with anger. He apparently wasn't in the mood to mess around.

"I'm telling the truth, Dean."

"Yeah, right. I wasn't born yesterday. Spill, Sam. Kerri said she heard you mumbling something when she went back by the bar, and when she got in the kitchen, you passed out. What'd you see?"

"I'm telling you, I didn't see anything."

"So you were just talking to yourself?" Dean asked incredulously.

"Apparently." Sam was slowly but surely coming back from the abyss, his mind growing clearer with each passing minute.

"Come on, Sam, you can tell me. I mean, it wasn't—."

Sam sighed, his brother's question hitting home, Dean was afraid 'Vampire Dean' had made a reappearance. "I didn't see you, Dean. Like I said, I don't remember much."

"Whatever."

"Hey, Kerri," Sam began a few minutes later, shooting his brother an annoyed glance when he once again refused to let him sit up. "Can I talk to you alone for a second?"

"Why?" Dean asked, his eyes going between the pair.

Sam knew Dean was hurting, knew the whole hunt was wearing the older man down, but he needed to get to the bottom of this, and Sam was willing to try anything, even if that meant keeping Dean out of the loop. Kerri cared for Dean a great deal, probably too much, Sam knew that, and he also knew she wouldn't be completely honest if he was in the room. She had always tried to shelter him, it was something that was quintessentially Kerri. Whenever Dean was concerned she was more secretive, more protective, more weary of what she said and did. It was her way of protecting him, watching out for him, but Sam knew the secrets she kept had gone way beyond dangerous— now they were deadly.

"Jo, honey," Ellen broke in, the tension in the room so heavy Sam could feel it. "Come help me finish getting ready."

"Ok." For once Jo didn't argue, following her mother into the bar instead.

"I'm gonna go keep an eye on the computer, see if I get anything new," Ash spoke up, turning from the room before anyone could answer. Sam almost had to smile, they all knew when to get out of the way of a Winchester.

The trio sat in silence for a few more minutes, Kerri's hand still resting on Sam's forehead as Dean paced the room. "What?" Dean asked when Kerri shot him a look.

"Don't you have something to do?"

"No."

"Why don't you check the perimeter." Kerri suggested, trying to get Dean to leave without actually kicking him out.

Sam had to hand it to the older girl, she knew how to handle his brother. Most people pushed Dean, butted heads with him when they were trying to get a point across— but not Kerri. She gently prodded the hunter, slowly pushing him out of a situation, often letting him believe he'd walked away on purpose. It was just another way of protecting him, another way of letting him feel he had some control over the chaos that was their lives.

"I just checked it."

"Maybe some extra blankets and something hot to drink, Sam's still pretty cool."

That seemed to do the trick. "Alright, I'll go see what kind of supplies Ellen's got in the med kit, too."

"Ok."

Sam waited until Dean's footsteps faded down the hall before letting himself relax, his tired and aching body begging for the peacefulness of sleep.

"You know he's gonna hover over me now," he began, shooting Kerri a smile, though it didn't reach his eyes.

"I certainly hope so."

"Thanks." Apparently Kerri was on Dean's side, too.

"What's going on, Sam?"

"Nothing."

"Look, we don't have long before he comes back, and you're the one that wanted to talk to me in the first place."

"I just wanted to know what you heard."

"I didn't hear anything. You were barely talking, it was just all kind of garbled. All I could really make out was something was a trick. Now, why don't you tell me what really happened."

"It was nothing, just more tricks."

"Sam, now isn't the time for secrets."

"You're one to talk."

"Excuse me?"

"I heard what you said to Jo."

"That wasn't really a secret, Sam." Kerri began after a moment, her hand sliding to his arm. "I just didn't want you to hear it, especially like that."

"Do you really believe that, Kerri? Do you really think you're nothing but a pawn?"

"To the things that are after you and Dean, yes, I believe that. To you and Dean, I know I'm more. Look, Sam, what I said was true, but it doesn't change how I feel about you or Dean. I'm a realist, I know the life expectancy of a hunter."

"Kerri—."

"No more promises, Sam. I trust you and Dean with my life, I always will, but when all's said and done, you two are just human. I know there's a chance we can make it through this, but there's also a chance we won't."

"I saw Evelyn."

"Excuse me?"

"Evelyn, that's who I was talking to."

Sam didn't know how to read Kerri's reaction, because well, she had no reaction. She just sat, still as stone, her hand still resting on his arm. He really didn't know what he had expected. Kerri wasn't the kind of person to have emotional outbursts, wasn't the type of girl to jump up and hug him or scream about him lying. No, she was trained better than that. She always schooled her features, regressing into her own mind, making heads or tales of what was going on around her before answering. But, at times like these, Sam wished the girl would just be someone real— instead of the girl her father had trained her to be.

"What did she say?" Kerri's voice was quiet, the only sign to how the news was truly effecting her. After all, she'd been completely alone for years after her little sister's death, and Sam was sure she hadn't spoken of it to many people, if any.

"Not much, actually. It wasn't her, really, I mean, I think it was whatever's been after you."

"Yeah— yeah that probably makes sense."

The pair sat in silence for several long seconds, both lost in their own thoughts, weighted down by the events of the day. It was like the world had suddenly shifted, everything Sam knew, everything he believed, changing in that one short hour. It was like standing on the edge of a cliff, waiting for the coming wind to push them over— and Sam was afraid nothing would be able to break their fall.

"Hey, Sam." Kerri began, her soft voice calling Sam home. "What I said to Jo. I'm sorry you had to hear that."

"Yeah, me too." Sam wasn't going to lie, Kerri's words would haunt him, that he knew for sure.

"Is there some reason Jo's suddenly treating me like a leper?" Dean asked, striding into the room, blankets and a med-kit in his hands.

"Is that a trick question?" Sam asked, thankful for the interruption. He just didn't know what to say to Kerri. He couldn't fault her for speaking the truth, he just wished she was as honest with him as she was with a stranger like Jo. But then, it was probably easier to be truthful with someone you'd never see again.

"Nice to see you're feeling better." Dean bit back, though Sam could see the relief in his eyes. These past few days had been like hell, and Sam didn't see it ending any time soon. They needed to focus on what was attacking them.

Ever since driving up to Valley and finding Kerri in the hospital they'd been distracted by one thing or another. It was almost like the thing was hiding in plain sight, messing with them, showing them just how vulnerable they really were— cutting them down to size.

"Holy hell." Sam shouted, sitting up so fast he made both Dean and Kerri jump. He couldn't believe he'd missed something so obvious. "I know what's after you."

"That was quite a brainstorm." Kerri groused, though Sam could see her tensing.

"It all makes sense."

"To you maybe," Dean began, worried eyes going to Sam as he tried to cover him with the blanket. But Sam just pushed the offending object away. They were in trouble.

"No, Dean, we don't have time for this."

"Time for what, making sure you don't pass out again?"

"Sam, what's this revelation of yours?"

"Think, this thing's messing with us, showing our weaknesses, showing us up."

"Son of a bitch." Dean breathed, he too coming to the same conclusion.

"Care to clue me in here?" Kerri on the other hand, didn't get it. So much for the info part of ammo and info.

"It's a Trickster." Sam answered, but Kerri's reaction stole away any enthusiasm he had. She looked completely and utterly terrified.

"Hey, Ker." Dean began, obviously seeing the same fear Sam saw. "It's ok, we've killed one of these things before."

"You can't kill them, Dean."

"Sure we can."

"No, Tricksters are immortal, which means, no dying."

"Thanks, professor."

"Kerri, why would a Trickster be after you?" Sam asked, wanting to smack himself for not asking her earlier. He could see why it would be after him and Dean, but Kerri wasn't the creature's usual target.

"I don't know."

"Come on, Ker, secret time's over. And don't try to tell me it's because of a bracelet." Dean broke in, going to the door, his sharp eyes scanning the hall, his body tensed, waiting for attack.

"Well, well, whoever said you weren't the sharpest tool in the bag was way off, Dean." The trio turned at the voice, Sam standing and shielding Kerri as Dean moved closer. The Trickster was standing on the opposite side of the room, his familiar face just as smug as it had been back at the University job.

"What do you want?" Dean growled, his eyes deadly.

"What makes you think I want anything. Ever think this is all just fun and games for me?"

"Cut the crap."

"You never were much fun. See, I always thought Sam here would be the stick in the mud, but man, Dean, you're just as pissy. Nah, I guess I'm not as crafty as I think. This isn't just a social call. Though, I am a wee bit interested in that bracelet you've got, Kerri."

"You're a god, why don't you just take it." Dean challenged, still standing between the Trickster and Kerri and Sam.

"See, that's where I'm a bit of a sore loser. See, normally it's me putting the 'I'm better than you' jerks in their place, but this time the shoe's on the other foot. 'Cause, as good as I am, I can't seem to find the damn thing. But really, that's small fries."

"I'll give you five minutes before I start shooting."

"Dean—." Sam began, but one look from Dean silenced him. Sam's heart was racing, this thing could turn Dean inside out with nothing more than a blink.

"You should listen to your brother."

"What. Do. You. Want?"

"Well, you see, I'm into games, and Chess is one of my favorites. I'm just here looking for a pawn."

Sam's heart beat faster and faster— a pawn, the damn thing wanted Kerri. Sam pushed her back on instinct, shielding her behind his much larger body. "You're not taking her."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive."

"I knew this was gonna be fun. I'm just here for a little information, that's all."

"That's all, you nearly kill her and that' all?"

"Trust me, Sam. If I wanted her dead, she'd be gone right now. Though I gotta say, I was surprised you two weren't the knights in shining armor. I guess my intel was off. I mean, days without checking on her, who knows what could have happened."

"Shut up you son of a bitch." Dean growled, steadying his gun on the Trickster.

"No can do, Dean. See, I'm only a messenger this time around. Like I said, I'm just here for some information."

"On what?"

"I think you know that, Dean. See, Kerri here's like a little treasure trove of information. You're dad was in pretty deep, wasn't he, Ker."

"Since when do you work for someone?" Sam broke in, not letting Kerri answer. He didn't care what the god wanted, it wasn't getting her.

"There's a war coming, Sam. Hell, it's already started. And this is a war brawn isn't gonna win. This war's all about strategy. And what's better than having the girl who knows exactly what's going on on your side?"

"She doesn't know anything."

"You're be surprised, Sam."

"What is it you wanna know?" Sam countered, his eyes drifting between Dean and the Trickster.

"I wanna know where the Kosmokrates are."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kerri began, still staying behind Sam.

"Don't you? Well, maybe I can help jog your memory."

"Dean!" Jo's scream broke through the heavy air, the Trickster vanishing an instant later. They were now officially at war.


	13. Chapter 13

_Hello everyone. sorry about the delay. thank you all so, so much for the great reviews :D. this chappy is a LOT of info and ties in with statements made in a few of the previous stories in the series. enjoy :)_

**PAWNS**

Chapter 13

Dean ran from the room when he heard Jo's scream, his heart pounding in his chest. A Trickster, he should have known from the start. Nothing could be dead and undead at the same time, unless of course, it was an illusion. Tricksters were the only things powerful enough to bend reality, and Dean berated himself for overlooking the obvious. He'd been so focused on Kerri, so afraid of something stealing her away, that he'd missed the forest through the trees. And now, the Trickster was waging war.

He rounded the corner, skidding to a halt when he entered the bar. Jo and Ellen were standing with their backs to the bar, facing a group of revenants. It was like a freaking scene out of Dawn of the Dead. The mother daughter due, for their part, had managed to get shotguns, though the older Winchester knew they would have no effect on the approaching beings.

"What'd you boys do, piss off every damn thing hell could spit out?" Ellen called to Sam and Dean, her eyes never leaving the hoard in front of her. She tightened her grip on the gun, moving slightly ahead of Jo— but the revenants just stood there, as though they were waiting for the order to attack.

"Oh well, you know, we're just charmers." Dean chided, his eyes scanning the small group of the undead. His life had become like a horror movie run amok lately. "Why're they just standing there?"

"Hey," Jo began, trying to look tough, but the tremble in her voice gave her away. "Don't encourage them."

"Kerri, what the hell's he looking for?" Sam asked, turning to Kerri.

The redhead was standing behind them, her eyes wide as she took in the scene before her. Dean knew Sam was right, this whole thing revolved around her, or at least something she knew. And, at that moment, Dean wanted to rip Tom Harrison limb from limb. Fathers were supposed to protect their kids, not make them walking targets on their own stupid path for answers.

"I don't know." Kerri answered, though something in Dean's heart told him she was lying. That didn't matter, though, they had more immediate problems to deal with— like a group of zombies. One thing Dean was certain of, once the Trickster figured out what it wanted to know, it wasn't going to let them walk away.

"We'll deal with keeping secrets later," Dean began, moving into the room, heading up the standoff for their side. "Right now I'd like to take care of the brain eating brigade."

"We need silver." Ellen announced, though it was more than obvious.

"Maybe not. They're not real revenants."

"They're real enough, Sam." Dean bit out. "Damn it," Dean swore, his mind finally clicking into gear— they just so happened to have a powerful piece of silver with them. "Give me the bracelet," he began, turning to Kerri.

"What? I don't have it."

"I don't really have time for that now, Kerri." Dean ground out when the beings on the other side of the room started to move, almost as though the mention of the bracelet had awoken them.

"Dean."

"Give. It. To. Me."

Kerri looked at him for several long seconds, her face unreadable. Dean didn't want to hurt her, didn't want to undermine her, force her to go against whatever it was her father had drilled into her head. But damn it, his hands were tied. A second later she unzipped the light sweater she was wearing, pulling the small silver bracelet from an inside pocket.

It looked just as unassuming as he remembered, but he knew looks could be deceiving. "Your secret hiding place was your freaking pocket?"

"Hey, it was working."

"Whatever, give it to me."

"You're not gonna be able to touch all of them with it." Kerri yelled over the retort of one of the shotguns, tossing the bracelet to Dean— apparently, the zombies decided they were tired of playing nice.

"If it's anything like the earth demon, I won't need to," Dean began catching the bracelet just as the hoard of revenants made it to the Roadhouse's occupants.

Everything happened in a few moments, but to Dean, it may as well have been an eternity. He caught the bracelet easily, ducking beneath an advancing revenant as Jo and Ellen fired. Sam was pushing Kerri back out of the way, firing off his own handgun as he covered Dean. Dean ducked again as another zombie dove at the ground in front of him, the Trickster's minions obviously not as dumb as they looked.

"Dean, anytime now." Sam called out, firing another round at the revenants encircling his brother.

Dean shrugged out of the cold hands around him, cursing as he felt sharp teeth bite down into his shoulder, another set clamping onto his elbow, a third revenant trying to steal the bracelet from his hand. Dean rolled onto his back, kicking at a blonde haired zombie seconds before it went for his jugular. These things were freaking persistent. "A little help, Sammy."

The blonde wanna be cannibal flew off his back after Sam sent a well placed kick into its side. Sam immediately turned to the others, shooting off another few rounds as Jo and Ellen reloaded. The group was too fast though, several running at speeds Dean didn't even think were possible, tackling Sam before he had a chance to fire off another shot.

The bastards were strong, too. Dean was still struggling with two of the zombie, the beings both refusing to let the silver bracelet hit the floor of the Roadhouse, everyone knowing exactly what would happen if Dean succeeded. He didn't think the bracelet was strong enough to destroy the Trickster, but at least it could slow its dreamed up baddies down.

The slightly rotted man that had been trying to chew Dean's arm off vanished with a grunt, the older woman lurching to the side to avoid the fire poker Kerri was wielding. Dean didn't know how the girl had managed to swing it so hard with just one hand, but he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. As long as she didn't accidentally hit him with it, he was fine. Kerri moved off to help Sam, swinging the poker at the brunette that was currently trying to turn Sam into lunch. The zombie screeched as the iron bar hit her, turning its dead eyes to Kerri as if the girl had burned it.

"Hurry up, Dean."

"I'm trying." Dean cursed, still struggling with the revenant. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Dean pried his bleeding arm free, slamming his hand down against the floor before the revenant had the opportunity to stop him. The room filled with an unnatural wind, the revenants shrieking and screaming for several seconds before vanishing, leaving a strange silence in their wake.

"Someone feel like telling me what the hell's going on?" Ellen spoke after a few minutes, her eyes narrowed on Dean and Kerri.

"Uh," Dean began, still laying on the floor.

"We need to secure the place," Sam broke in, rubbing the back on his neck, bruises already forming on his throat. Apparently, they'd had a pretty good go at him, too.

"Secure it against what?" Ellen turned her sharp eyes to Sam.

"A Trickster. I know some symbols that can keep them away."

"Alright. Jo, go grab Ash wherever he's hiding and help Sam. I'm gonna figure out what's going on."

Dean was on his feet in a flash, his eyes dangerous. If it came to it, he'd leave, but there was no way in hell he was gonna tell Ellen about Kerri. After all, someone at the Roadhouse had tipped Gordon off about Sam. "We'll help Sam."

"You'll sit down and get patched up before you bleed to death."

"I'm fine."

"Look in a mirror." Ellen bit out, turning from the room before Dean could answer.

"Sam?" Dean began, his eyes taking in his little brother. Sam was hurt, too.

"I'm fine, Dean. It's not that bad. You, on the other hand, look worse than the revenants."

"You're all love."

"Go get patched up."

"Whatever."

"I'll go help Sam," Kerri began, moving to the door. But Dean's hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Oh no you won't. You're staying with me."

"I can take care of myself." At least she had the good sense to tuck her broken arm behind her back as she made the declaration.

"You don't even wanna get me started. Move it." He pushed her lightly, indicating the hall Ellen had taken.

"Can I at least have my bracelet back?"

"Here." Dean handed the bracelet back to her, the small trinket feeling surprisingly heavy in his hand. She'd managed to keep it safe all these years, he wasn't about to jeopardize it now. "So, that thing's been in your pocket the whole time?"

"No, it's been in my pocket since I came to the Roadhouse. I do have a better hiding place, you know."

"Where?"

"Dean."

"We don't have time to start the secret crap again, Kerri."

"He's right," Ellen spoke up, leading them into the small back kitchen.

Dean was momentarily taken back when he saw the heated look Kerri shot Ellen. The redhead was normally more reserved around other hunters, more business like if Dean had to describe it. But at this moment, all of her normal composure was gone.

"Could you excuse us, Ellen?" Dean began, breaking the tense moment. They didn't have time for a battle of wills.

"Not before I patch you up."

"Kerri can manage. Is the med-kit in here?"

Ellen looked like she was going to argue, but a moment's thought seemed to tell her otherwise. She opened a cabinet, pulling out a large medical kit and handing it to Kerri before leaving.

"Care to tell me why we just pissed off our host?"Dean asked once he was sure Ellen was gone.

"Too many people know too much already."

"Should we be using the cone of silence?"

"I'm being serious, Dean. You shouldn't even know."

"You see, that right there is bull."

"How so?"

"You've never kept secrets from me." Dean tried not to sound hurt, even though he knew the words he spoke were a lie. Kerri kept a lot from him, it was painfully obvious now. They'd been friends since they were six years old, Kerri saving him in more ways than one. But now, the girl he thought he knew, the girl he never forgot, no matter how long the absence, was like a stranger to him.

"This isn't really a secret from you, it's a secret in general."

"That's splitting hairs and you know it."

"Look, this isn't my choice."

"Not to sound harsh, but your dad's gone. You don't have to keep accepting his choices."

"Being a little hypocritical, don't you think."

"This isn't about me."

"You're right, it isn't. It's about me."

"So what, you're willing to die because your dad said so?"

"Let me see your shoulder," Kerri began after a short silence, her eyes turning to the first aid kit.

Dean sighed, sometimes talking to Kerri was like beating his head against a wall. She was stubborn on a normal day— and the last few days had been anything but normal. Hell, the last few months hadn't been right. Ever since returning to Valley Dean had felt like he was in a tailspin. So many things had changed, and yet, so much had remained. It was like a fun house version of life, and he wanted to set it straight. But he had finally realized setting things straight was no longer an option.

Kerri wasn't the girl he'd left behind all those years ago, that much was painfully obvious— but there was more missing than just Kerri. Evelyn left a void bigger than any Dean could imagine, save for his mother. The pint-sized girl had been like a firecracker, filling a room with her presences. Now, her absence was like an abyss. Dean could feel the emptiness of the house, fell the solitude weighting down on him when he walked through the door. Evelyn had always been the first to greet him, her smile the first thing he saw when entering the old house. Her laughter was always contagious, but in its place was a deafening silence.

He turned around, lost in though, taking a seat on one of the kitchen chairs as Kerri sat on the table behind him.

"This is pretty bad, Dean." Kerri began, peeling off Dean's outer shirt.

Dean tried not to flinch when she prodded the wound, her hands gently checking the injury. "Well, if I knew what was going on I wouldn't have turned into a zombie's lunch. Ow, watch it." Dean gasped when Kerri applied a little more pressure than was necessary to the wound.

"We need to get this t-shirt off," Kerri began, ignoring him.

"Well, you know, Ker, all you had to do was ask." Dean smirked, shooting his friend a glance as he raised his eyebrows.

"I could just let you bleed to death."

"Spoil sport."

Dean struggled out of his t-shirt, Kerri helping pry the material away from his damaged shoulder. Dean almost had to laugh— they were a sorry sight. Both were bruised and bloodied, Dean's right arm nearly immobile from the bite, Kerri's left still in a cast. So far, it was bad guys two, Winchesters none.

Dean hissed when he felt the peroxide hit the wound, the hunter bowing his head against the pain. Kerri worked as quickly as she could, cleaning out the bite and applying bandages— Dean was just happy it didn't need stitches. He let his mind wander again as Kerri continued, his past in Valley floating to the forefront of his thoughts as he tried to come to terms with the present and future. He was so lost in his thoughts, so focused on his breathing, that he didn't realized Kerri had finished.

He looked up after what felt like an eternity of silence, his shoulder bandaged and cleaned. But, instead of shooting off some smart-ass reply, instead of chiding him about getting beat up by an old guy, Kerri remained silent, her hands tracing over long healed scars.

"You ok?" Dean asked, glancing at Kerri.

"Yeah."

"Kerri?" Dean began again, standing to face the girl. Her eyes immediately went to the scars on his chest, her gaze more distant than he had ever seen. "Hey." He placed a hand beneath her chin, bringing her eyes up to meet his. "I'm ok."

"That's a matter of opinion."

"Come on, Kerri, what's wrong?"

"I'm just tired of the bad guys using you as a human pin cushion."

"A couple of scars aren't gonna keep me down."

"A couple?" Kerri asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Look, I healed, I'm fine. Be straight with me, something's been bothering you since the changeling."

"I'm just tired. I mean, everyday— I'm afraid."

"Afraid of what?" Dean asked softly, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Of whatever's waiting on the other side of the door. Everything that's happening now, let's just say it isn't unexpected."

"Then why don't you tell me? I can help."

"You have enough scars already."

"So you're trying to protect me?" Dean asked, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.

"You don't know what I know, Dean."

"Enlighten me."

"I can't. I don't know who or what's listening. And—."

"And what?"

"I don't want you to be trapped like me. I can't forget. You don't know how much I wish I could forget."

"Forget what?"

"Everything."

"Kerri, what happened? What did your dad do?"

"My dad didn't believe in journals, he thought it was too easy for other people to find and read them. He spent a lot of time looking for— other ways."

Dean could feel his blood boiling as Kerri spoke. Tom had used her like a piece of gear, not the child she was, his child. "What other ways?"

"I don't really know exactly. That's the one thing he kept from me. It was mix of stuff, I guess."

"So what, everything he knew you know?"

"Word for word, point for point. Like a photocopy of everything he ever learned or saw."

Dean sat in silence, the true magnitude of what Tom had done falling on him like bricks. He'd made her a target of both the hunting world and the demonic world. Tom Harrison knew almost every hunter, read nearly every historic account, studied hundreds of thousands of artifacts— and everything, every shred of information, was forever locked in Kerri's mind. And he was sure his father had known.

"Kerri," Dean began, but he didn't know what to say.

"Yeah, I'm screwed."

"We'll find a way to fix it."

"I've tried, Dean. Believe me, I've tried."

"Yeah, but you never had a Winchester helping." Dean's smirk died quickly, the look on Kerri's face sending shock waves through his body. "My dad?"

"He did his best."

"Bet Tom didn't like that."

"My father was dead, he didn't really have a say."

"Wait, what?" Dean stumbled, the statement crushing what little resolve he still had. "The last time you saw my dad was when that demon attacked Sam, right."

Kerri looked down at her hands, her body trembling slightly as she pulled in a breath, though she still remained silent.

"Kerri?"

"He— he got in touch with me after Jessica died."

Dean was at a loss for words, blind fury mixing with profound loss. He'd searched for his father in every corner of the country, all the while wishing for the peace Valley offered, wishing for home. And the entire time, Kerri and John had been in contact. Suddenly, like a tidal wave coming to swallow him whole, a new thought raced through Dean's already overloaded mind. "He called about the Yellow Eyed Demon."

"Dean—."

"You know what it's after."

"No I don't, I swear."

"Then why come to you? And why the Demon back in Colorado? It said you clued my dad in."

"Your dad thought I knew what killed Ev."

"Well, you obviously did, since he figured out it was a demon pretty soon afterwards. Did you know about it before Jessica?"

"I didn't know it would go after her."

"But you knew it was a demon?"

"Yes."

"How? Did Ev tell you, or did your dad always know?"

"Dean."

"No. Your dad locked that in your head and then you both failed to mention it to anyone. Hell, my dad trusted your dad, they hunted for the damn thing together for years, and Tom just kept forgetting to mention he already knew. We could have had actual lives, Kerri, could have gotten a jump on the thing instead of waiting for its twenty-two year nap to be over. Was your father so selfish and obsessive with his information that he thought he had the right to send my dad on a wild goose chase?"

"My dad didn't know what killed our moms, not until it killed Evelyn."

"Right, when Evelyn said she was talking to the man with the yellow eyes." Dean remembered the conversation well. The first night he was back in Valley, the night he'd learned of Evelyn and Tom's deaths, the night he realized life would never be the same. "But you said you went straight to your dad, that he was still trying to figure out what happened— so then, how'd you know it was the same thing that killed our moms?"

Kerri's head shot up at the question, her eyes wide, obviously caught. She'd been heartbroken when retelling the story of the night her family died, the night she was plunged into solitude. In all the commotion, all the charged emotions, she'd let a vital secret slip. And Dean hadn't thought twice about it— until now.

"You knew what it was, this whole time."

"My dad locked memories away from prying eyes, he never specified whose memories."

"We could have ended this decades ago."

"Or we could have died decades ago. Look, Dean, I was already a freak, hell I was born a freak. You were the only normal I ever had, I couldn't lose it."

"How? When?"

"The last time I saw my mother was the first time I saw the Demon. I watched it kill her."

"Then your dad came in?"

"Then I pulled Ev out of the crib, he pajamas were on fire, that's where she got the scar. I ran and woke my dad up."

"And you saw the Demon?" Dean asked, his heart beating so fast, he thought it might explode.

"I stood there while it spoke to me."

"What'd it say?"

"Life's a bitch sometimes, isn't it, kid. Look, Dean, I thought John was gonna kill me when I finally told him. I didn't— I couldn't face the same reaction from you. I'm sorry."

"You were four." Dean spoke slowly, the events of that long ago night falling into place. He knew he should have been pissed, hell, he was pissed, but he couldn't lay the blame on Kerri. She was a toddler, four years old, and she watched her mother die, it made sense she wouldn't talk about it. And then Tom and his stupid biological journal had only increased her secretive nature. It was a lot of bad decisions, all rolled into one.

"Yeah, I was four."

"Do you know what it wants?"

"No."

"Do you know how to kill it?"

"No. I don't know anything about it other than it wants the kids. I'm sorry, Dean."

"That doesn't explain the Trickster, though."

"My dad studied a lot."

"It said it wanted the bracelet, but also the Kosmo-dudes."

"Kosmokrates."

"Right, which are?"

"A legion of demons, if unleashed, they'll destroy the world. Each one brings a different disease or punishment to mankind."

"Lovely. And you know where they are?"

"No."

Dean smirked, "would you tell me if you did?"

Kerri just smiled back, slowly repacking the medical kit. Life had changed in those few short minutes, of that Dean Winchester was certain. But, some foundations, no matter how battered, never crumble, never give beneath the weights places on them. Love, trust, faith, family, friendship— they were what he understood, what he fought for, what he believe in, and no matter what, Kerri Harrison fulfilled everyone of those beliefs. And he knew now that nothing would ever change that.


	14. Chapter 14

_thank you all so, so much for the great reviews, they really make my day!! i'll be away for a week, so i decided to get this chappy up sooner rather than later... enjoy. _

**PAWNS**

Chapter 14

Sam sat in the main room of the Roadhouse, his laptop open in front of him, rubbing his sore neck. He'd been searching the internet for hours, trying to figure out what the Trickster was after. It had been easy to find information on the Kosmokrates, well, it had been easy to find an interpretation on what they were. It was a race of demons, thirty-six to be exact, from the Testament of Solomon— finding out 'where' they might be was another problem entirely. Because, well, most of the modern world didn't believe in their existence. What was even more troubling to the young man, though, was the fact that the Trickster thought Kerri knew where they were, and was going to such extremes to get the information. Dean and Kerri were definitely keeping something from him, and it was time to call them on it.

The pair had been resting in the spare room, both having been put through the ringer over the last few days. After all, Kerri had only recently been released from a lengthy hospital stay, and Dean had just been turned into lunch for a group of zombies. Still, that didn't seem to stop them from being their stubborn selves. Sam had to laugh when Ellen came stomping into the bar a few hours before hand, Dean and Kerri having thrown her out of her own kitchen. Sam should have warned her before they came— there was no point in arguing with Dean and Kerri, especially when they were together.

In retaliation, though, Ellen had banished them to the back room while the rest cleaned and secured the area. And, much to Sam's surprise, the pair of twenty-nine year olds had stayed where they were put. Sam rubbed his face, staring blankly at the information on the screen; sometimes he wished he could be a fly on the wall during some of Dean and Kerri's conversations. But then, he'd been a fly on the wall when the redhead was talking to Jo, and her words still haunted him.

Sam was always amazed how someone he'd known since he was a small child could still be such a mystery to him. There was a time in his life when he would have sworn he knew her, that every aspect of her life involved him and his brother. It was also a time when Sam was about ten years old. He thought he knew a lot of things back then, like any normal ten year old; it was only with time that he learned there were tremendous gaps in his knowledge. A lot of things were kept from him, kept from all of them as children, and those secrets were now slowly coming to light. It was the need to know crap, coming back to haunt him.

Dean obviously knew more about what was going on than he did, and his brother wasn't being very forthcoming with that information. Sam couldn't really fault him, though, after all, he'd sent his brother out of the room when he told Kerri about his encounter with Evelyn. A smirk slowly spread across Sam's face— he and Dean had both been confiding in Kerri, and then getting upset about all the secret keeping. The three of them needed to sit down and get everything straightened out, before they ended up killing each other.

Sam closed the laptop, pushing himself slowly out of the seat. His encounter with Evelyn had left him weak, but the event with the Revenants had shifted the focus away from him— thankfully. He didn't know if it was the fact that he'd seen his dead friend, or that the encounter had taken so much out of him, but something was off. Everything with the Trickster had been physical violence, but whatever Evelyn was had been something different, pulling on his energy instead of smacking him around. Sam shook his head, it was just the Trickster trying to throw them all off. Either way, he wasn't about to let Dean know he'd seen Evelyn, and based on Kerri's reaction, she wasn't going to repeat the information either.

He scooped up the laptop, making his way to the spare room. He, Dean, and Kerri needed a game plan, they could involve the Roadhouse crew when it was necessary. Ash's computer seemed to be a dead end, and ever since Kerri's little pep-talk Jo had been keeping her distance. Really, they had no reason to stay at the Roadhouse, except for the fact that the three of them were currently doing a real good interpretation of the walking dead. Sam smiled again, the fact that the Trickster had used revenants making complete sense— the creature did have a twisted sense of humor.

"Everybody decent." Sam knocked on the door, smiling when he heard Dean groan.

"That's disgusting, Sam." Dean shot Sam a look when he walked in, the older man covering his eyes with his arm.

"A little harsh, Winchester." Kerri chided, her face covered with a pillow.

"You two ok?" Sam asked, surprised to see how out of it the pair was.

"We have headaches." Kerri supplied, Dean groaning in agreement.

"Both of you?"

"Ash was being helpful."

"I'm never drinking anything that guy gives me again." Dean moaned, motioning to Sam to turn off the light.

"Why'd you drink it in the first place?"

"Because he wouldn't leave us alone."

"Are you sure it was Ash?" Sam asked, concern growing in his voice. The Trickster was still out there, and they'd already been fooled by an Ash look-a-like once.

"Yes, I'm positive. It wasn't anything malicious, he's just insane."

"Yeah," Kerri added, "someone's gotta tell him that just 'cause stuff's in the same cabinet doesn't mean it goes together. I thought I was gonna throw up."

"And you still kept drinking it?"

"No, we threw it out, but apparently, one sip's enough. We should market it, take out all your enemies in one go. Beats Dean's idea."

"Hey, my idea has merit."

"What idea's that?" Sam smirked, sinking down on his own bed. Times like these had been too few and far between as of late. There'd been too much fear, too much uncertainty, not enough time to simply sit back and enjoy the company of his brother and friend.

"A water gun filled with holy water." Dean smirked, wiggling his eyebrows before covering his face again.

"Like a supernatural super-soaker?"

"See, Sam gets it."

"Whatever. You just come to gloat, Sam?" Kerri asked, taking a sharp breath as she tried to roll over, her injured ribs protesting.

"No, I came to find out what's going on. Other than you two being poisoned by a guy with a mullet."

"I'll tell him you need 'Ash's tonic', too. Don't think for a second I forgot about your little fainting escapade." Dean pointed at his little brother.

"Ash's tonic? You drank something he named?"

"Shut up. You been researching?" Dean asked, gesturing to the computer as he pulled himself up to sit.

"Yeah, I was trying to figure out what the Kosmokrates are."

"Why can't demons have normal names?"

"You know what they are?" Sam broke in, his eyes going from Dean to Kerri instantly. Maybe she did know more than she was letting on.

"Yeah, Kerri filled me in." Dean began, throwing a pillow at Kerri.

She was laying on her stomach, her head hidden beneath her own pillow. She didn't even flinch as they spoke, her body remaining still when the pillow hit her. Had Sam not been able to hear her ragged breathing and mumbling, he would have been worried.

"Kerri." Sam began, hitting her foot, his bed being closer to her's than Dean's.

"Go away."

"We gotta talk."

"Talk to Dean, then. I'll interject if I feel the need."

"Kerri's a biological journal." Dean began, obviously taking Kerri's attitude as permission to spill the secrets between the two of them.

"What?" Sam asked, taken back by the statement. What the hell was a biological journal?

"Tom Harrison never kept a formal journal." Dean continued, his eyes drifting to Kerri as he spoke.

"What's Kerri got to do with that?" Sam knew Tom had never really kept his own journal. Sure, he'd written down the information he learned, but that was always filed away in the library, general information for all to see. He didn't keep a journal like John had, full of personal information as well as his interpretations on the supernatural. No, all Tom Harrison had ever dealt with were cold hard facts— at least, that's what Sam had believed.

"Tom used some hoodoo-who-knows-what to lock everything in Kerri's mind. What where his exact words, Ker?" Dean commented, earning another groan from Kerri.

"To keep all the knowledge, stored and safe, away from prying eyes," she answered, her voice muffled.

"So, where's the information?" Sam asked, still not wanting to believe where this all was going.

"Inside Kerri."

"Tom wouldn't do that." Sam defended, though he didn't know why he was standing up for the hunter. Sam had never had a problem with Tom Harrison, though he knew a lot of other hunters did. But then, Sam had been a child the last time he'd seen the man. And, while Sam was very much aware of the supernatural world at the tender age of twelve, there was a lot he didn't know. He knew of monsters and ghosts and ghouls, but very little of the motives which drove the humans that hunted such beasts.

But this, this was more than Sam thought was possible. Tom had given the children more leeway than John ever had, but he had never purposefully placed them in danger, and what Dean and Kerri were talking about was the worst kind of danger. His father was hunted because of the information he had on just one demon— Sam couldn't begin to imagine what this all meant for Kerri. Tom was known for his research, known for the vast stores of information he always had at the ready, and he'd forced Kerri to take that same weight on her own shoulders.

"What's done is done." Kerri's muffled voice spoke again, the redhead still refusing to look at either brother.

"She's right." Sam began, earning a stern glare from his brother. Sam knew Dean wanted him to side with him, wanted to let Kerri know jut how unhappy they were with all the secrets. And while Sam was gonna have a long talk with her when this was all over, now was not the time. "So, these Kosmokrates— do you know where they are?"

"No."

"Which means she could, but she's not telling."

"You know, you're not really helping, Dean." Sam began, falling back against his bed, he was tired as hell.

"No passing out." Dean spoke sternly, pushing himself up on his left arm.

"I'm not passing out, I'm laying down."

"I'm just making my point clear."

"Right, I'll be sure to remain conscious."

"What was all that about, anyway?"

"Nothing." Sam began, his eyes drifting to Kerri's back. He was still trying to come to grips with the encounter.

"You people suck," Dean mumbled.

"So, Kerri doesn't know where the Kosmokrates are, and the Trickster can't get the bracelet. What's the plan?"

"Uh." Dean began, Kerri mumbling something beneath the pillow. "We hadn't really discussed that."

"Then what've you two been talking about the last few hours?"

"Supernatural super-soakers."

Sam didn't even comment, knowing the pair normally had completely pointless conversations. "So what, you were just hoping it would go away?"

"No, I was hoping geek-boy would figure it out."

"Dean."

"Come on, Dude, you've got an idea, I know you."

"Actually, Dean, I don't."

"Passing out effecting your brain?"

Sam huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. Sometimes, he hated how well his brother knew him.

"Hah, I knew it. That's why we keep you around, super-nerd."

"Whatever."

"So, enlighten us."

"Well, you can kill them with a stake soaked in lamb's blood."

"No you can't, Sam." Kerri's mumbled voice replied, but Sam ignored her.

"I figure we corner it."

"No offense, but that didn't seem to work last time." Dean began, and Sam knew he was right. They thought they'd killed the Trickster once already, but seeing its snide face at the Roadhouse had made the younger Winchester rethink their original tactics.

"That stake wasn't enough. I've found some symbols that're supposed to destroy Tricksters. I figure we could carve them into the stakes."

"What part of immortal do you two not get?" Kerri sighed again.

"It doesn't kill it, it just kind of locks it away."

"For how long," Dean asked, his eyes going to Kerri again. Sam knew what he was thinking— the last thing they needed to do was piss the thing off.

"One hundred years. It basically imprisons the thing, keeping it out of trouble for a certain time. Like with Loki in Norse mythology, he was imprisoned until Ragnarok."

"Nice. Though I could have done without the history lesson. Short and sweet, Sammy. Bad guy gone." Dean stated, sitting up straighter, the information giving him more strength than any amount of rest.

"How're you two planning on trapping the thing?" Kerri began, finally rolling out from under her pillow. Unlike Dean, she didn't look relieved at all. If anything, she looked more worried.

Sam's heard broke, her earlier statement coming back to him like a sledgehammer.

_'When you're with a Winchester, you're always bait.'_

"Give him what he wants."

"I don't know where the Kosmokrates are, Sam."

"I know," Sam began, though he had the sinking suspicion that Kerri knew exactly where the demons were. "But the Trickster doesn't know that."

"You're not bait." Dean broke in, though Sam knew the statement wasn't true. It was the way they worked, the way their father had worked— and it had been that same tactic that got Bill Harvelle killed.

"Sure, Dean. You guys really think you can trick a Trickster?"

"Ker, how long have you known us?" Dean began, smirking.

"This is a demigod, Dean."

"And we're Winchesters, I say that makes us even."


	15. Chapter 15

_hello everyone. sorry about the long wait, i was away for a while then i got sick :(. thank you all so much for all the great reviews, they really make my day. there's only one more chapter to go after this one... enjoy:)_

**PAWNS**

Chapter 15

Kerri stood in the middle of the bar, the dim lights sending ominous shadows dancing across the walls. It was always her opinion that the baddies came out at night just to increase their creepiness level. Not that standing alone in a large bar waiting to be attacked gave her warm and cozy feelings, but adding the whole night time element to it made it all the worse. Contrary to what she told Jo, she knew she was safe with the boys, and she knew their current tactic was pretty much the only option. Sam and Dean were the hunters, not her. She had faith in their abilities, faith in them as people, and she'd have that faith no matter what the night's outcome.

They were her best friends, Sam and Dean— they were like family. She'd bared her soul to Dean on more than one occasion, had watched Sam grow up; they were her heroes. Kerri knew it sounded sappy, like a child pining away for a comic book legend, but that still didn't change who Sam and Dean were to her. Whether it was the sunniest day, or the darkest night, she'd always follow the brothers, always turn to them whenever she needed help. Well, almost always.

All her life, there was only one thing she ever truly feared, and that was the information locked inside her mind. It wasn't her own safety she thought of, but the safety of those around her. She had no idea what the creatures of the night would do to get even a glimpse of the images trapped in her mind. She knew things no person should, shielded more secrets than anyone could imagine. She knew full well where the Kosmokrates were, but the information was deadly. She held the future in her hands, held the world in her mind, and now, others knew it.

Kerri would have been lying if she said the Trickster's request for the Kosmokrates hadn't terrified her. She knew the truth about what her father had done would come out eventually, but she had foolishly believed that the darkest of her secrets would remain hidden. The demons that made up the Kosmokrates would destroy the world, that was their soul purpose, and because of that, they were imprisoned long ago. How her father learned of their location in the first place was still a mystery to Kerri, but it was a mystery she didn't want to unravel. Tom Harrison had his sources, and they were sources Kerri never wanted to cross paths with.

Kerri had made her own way, forged her own path, dealt with her lot in life by herself for almost three decades— she would continue on the same way as long as she could. It wasn't that she wanted to be alone in the world, she just couldn't find a way around it. She wasn't normal, and she never had been. Dean had been given four years of normal, four years of a family, four years as a child— Kerri had had none of it. She hadn't noticed when she was small, but her father had put his plan in action long before her mother died. Every story he told her at night, every bit of information he passed to her throughout her young life had had an ulterior motive. Despite it all, though, Kerri held no anger toward her father. He had been doing the best he could, protecting what he learned the only way he knew how. Yes, it had been a terrible idea, but there was no changing the past.

Kerri hadn't been lying when she said there was no way to undo what her father had done— no way to forget. She had tried, lord knew she had tried, but nothing she found was powerful enough to erase the images and voices that ran through her head. It was like watching a movie of the hunting world, like having microfiche constantly running through her mind. She couldn't silence it, couldn't turn it off, she had just learned to deal with it over time. Her mind was always working, always trying to come to terms with the extra information forced upon it.

In a way, it helped. She could unravel problems fairly quick, see the world in a way no one else could. She couldn't really explain how it worked, but it was like her mind was constantly learning. On some level, she knew the memories weren't her own, just copied from another mind. She was left to interpret them herself, left to understand them as though she was reading pages in a book. And that was probably one of the reasons she couldn't forget. It had been too long and even though the knowledge had started out as a foreign invader, it was now her own. She'd learned from it, studied it, become a part of it, whether she wanted to or not. It was no longer bits and pieces of hunts stored in her head, it was now a part of her being.

Kerri moved around the room, her steps slow and deliberate. Sam had removed the protection charms around a portion of the room, allowing the Trickster entrance. It was risky to say the least, and the redhead wasn't one hundred percent certain the younger man's plans would work. Yes, he had a way to trap the Trickster indefinitely, but the creature still had to walk into the trap. She glanced back at Sam and Dean, the brothers hidden behind the bar, waiting to strike. She still wasn't convinced the stakes were gonna do one bit of good, but they really had no other options. She was sick and tired of being played with, and she was gonna let the Trickster know that.

Along with the Winchesters, Ellen, Jo and Ash were hidden, the trio ready with binding spells and symbols. It was a pretty flimsy plan B, but at least it was a plan. Kerri didn't want anyone else getting hurt because of her, there had been too much death already. They'd all lost, the hunt claiming more and more as time wore on— they had to make their stand. The darkness was gaining ground, the world plagued by more and more demons every year. Humanity was losing the war, Kerri could feel it, and unless someone made a stand, all would be lost. And who better to lead the charge than the Winchesters.

"Well, well, well, this doesn't look like a trap or anything."

Kerri spun at the voice, her heart nearly stopping when she saw the Trickster. He had the same cocky, I'm-better-than-you grin he had earlier, his eyes shining with a mischievous glint. Kerri took a few calming breaths before moving a step closer, her blue eyes never leaving the creature before her. "Why would you say that?"

"Come on, Kerri, let's both act like intelligent adults."

"I already told you, I don't have the information you want."

"See now, I still think you're lying."

"Think what you want, but I can't help you."

"Shame. I liked you." The Trickster's smile faded as he took a step toward her, his face taking on a frightening appearance.

Kerri held her ground, knowing the boys were getting in position, getting ready to strike. She just had to buy a few more minutes. She hoped the Roadhouse's crew was doing their jobs securing the perimeter. It wasn't that she had no faith in Ellen, Jo or Ash, it was just that she knew Sam and Dean, she didn't know the rest.

"Who says I'm going anywhere." Kerri bit back, refusing to let the Trickster intimidate her.

"What kind of bad guy would I be if I let you live."

"I'm not an idiot, this isn't your normal M.O. What's in it for you?"

"I one up the guy that thinks he's better than everyone else. So, I'm thinking I'm in the right place. I mean, Sam and Dean trying to sneak up behind a god— that sounds pretty full of yourself to me."

Kerri closed her eyes, cursing their luck when Sam and Dean emerged from cover— they were busted.

"Next time you may want to try someone other than the beer brigade to be your back-up." The Trickster chided, and Kerri knew then that plan B was out the window, she just hoped the other three were alright. She'd been the cause of too much suffering already.

"Trust me," Dean began, taking another step closer to the Trickster, "there won't be a next time." Before anyone could react Dean lunged, moving quicker than Kerri had ever remembered. But it wasn't quick enough to stop the Trickster.

Just as Dean lunged the Trickster acted, sending both Dean and Sam crashing into the walls, their wooden stakes skidding across the floor. Kerri stood, rooted to the spot, watching as both plan A and plan B crumbled to the ground. Dean was struggling to stand, holding the side of his head as he pulled himself toward one of the stakes. Sam, on the other hand, was laying motionless on the barroom floor.

"Some people never learn." The Trickster was pacing the room, taking in the scene around him with pleasure. He moved his hand lazily as he walked by Dean, the blonde haired hunted falling back against the wall like a pinned insect.

"I can't help you." Kerri began, needing to get through to the creature. She couldn't watch someone else she cared about die— she wouldn't.

"Sure you can."

"No, I can't."

The Trickster stopped, his gaze settling on Kerri. It was as though the creature was looking through her, into her, studying her very soul. And it was creeping her out. She'd always thought of Tricksters as charlatans, pranksters out for a laugh— but looking at the creature before her, she could tell he was much, much more. There was an aura about him, something she could feel, even though she couldn't explain it. It was like the air around the Trickster was charged, each breath like a burst of pure energy. It was scary and fascinating at the same time.

"That's quite an answer." The Trickster began after a few moments, taking another step toward Kerri. "I'm impressed."

Kerri was speechless, wondering what the Trickster was playing at. His tone wasn't as condescending as it had been mere moments before. If anything, the creature was genuinely impressed. "Thanks?" Kerri began, feeling stupid but having nothing else to say.

"Most people in your position would have sold out by now."

"Good thing I'm not most people."

"You have no idea."

"She's not gonna help you," Dean began, still struggling against the invisible bindings, "and you seem strangely ok with that. So go away."

"Dean, shut up." Kerri ground out, her heartbeat racing when the Trickster turned dangerous eyes to Dean.

"I think you should listen to your friend. You wouldn't wanna end up like Sammy over there."

Kerri's blood thundered in her ears, her body shaking as she tried to control her emotions. She had hoped that Sam was simply unconscious, but now she wasn't so sure. He'd hit the wall, hard, but she'd seen him go through more and get back on his feet. Now, instead of shaking it off, instead of pushing through the pain, Sam remained frighteningly still— and she could see both fear and failure reflected in Dean's eyes.

Kerri wanted nothing more than to go to Dean, to reassure him, remind him that none of this was his fault. Because she knew, without a doubt, that he was blaming himself, punishing himself for not being able to protect those around him. Not even a week after finding her in the hospital, Dean had been forced to stand by while Kerri was attacked by a 'Dean-pire'. And then, Sam had fallen victim to the Trickster, falling unconscious, again, while Dean stood by not even twenty feet away. It was like the Trickster had a personal vendetta against the older Winchester, and Kerri knew the events of the past few days had torn him up inside.

"What'd you do to him?" Dean's voice was deadly, and for an instant, Kerri was afraid of her long time friend.

"Nothing a little powerade won't fix. I guess with daddy gone no one's around to make sure little Sammy keeps his energy up."

"You son of a bitch."

"Dean." Kerri began, trying to stop the hunter.

"I won't have you defending that thing, Ker."

"Excuse me, I'm not defending it." Kerri shot back.

"Oh, lovers' quarrel."

"Let Sam go."

"It's not me that's keeping him down, Kerri." The Trickster turned his full attention back to Kerri, silencing Dean with another wave of his hand. Kerri gave Dean an apologetic shrug, knowing there was nothing she could do other than follow the Trickster's lead. That didn't stop the hunter from glaring, though.

"You knew I wouldn't help you. Even from the start." Kerri began, her eyes locked with the Trickster's.

"It was a thought," The Trickster shrugged, "but I had to make sure."

"Why?"

"Because, Kerri, there's a war coming. Hell, it's already here."

"Aren't you above the wars of demons? You are a god, aren't you."

"This is bigger than anything the world has seen. It effects us all."

"And you tossed me around and made our lives a living hell just to tell me something I already know."

"I know what your father did. And I'm not the only one. I wanted to break you. But I learned something during this little test."

"Yeah, what's that?"

"You're already broken. I could snap Sam's neck and you still wouldn't tell me what I wanted to know."

Kerri's heart skipped a beat at the words, her eyes going to Sam's still form. She wanted to tell herself the Trickster was lying, wanted to scream, to let every being in both heaven and hell know that she'd never sacrifice one of the boys. But still, she hesitated, a steal trap tightening around her heart as reality came crashing down. Her knowledge could destroy the world— and what gave her the right to chose just one life, over many, many more.

Kerri felt whatever resolve she had shatter when she looked to Dean, her blue eyes meeting his sharp green ones. Life would never be the same, never be what it was. Their carefree youth was gone, the memories they'd built together shattered by the Trickster's words. She knew that, when it came to Sam, Dean would do anything, and that was one thing that made the twenty-nine year olds different. Yes, Kerri had tried to save Evelyn, but she'd never offered the Demon any secrets in return for her sister.

It was something that ate away at Kerri everyday. Who knows what could have happened if she'd revealed what she knew, what her father had done. There was no guarantee it would have saved Evelyn, but there was no guaranteeing it wouldn't have. It was a choice she made, and a choice she'd never once forgotten.

Kerri bowed her head, her voice suddenly gone. She couldn't face Dean any longer, couldn't look at Sam's still form. There was no clear cut answer, no black and white solution. No matter what, people would suffer, people would die— all because of her.

"My point exactly." The Trickster began, his eyes still on Kerri.

"So this was all some kind of game?" Kerri asked finally, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"Not a game. A test. I'll come right out and say it, kid, I like things the way they are. But dooms day's a coming, and I for one am not gonna be on the losing side. There's a power struggle going on now, and you three are right in the middle of it all. Let's just say, I didn't wanna put all my eggs in one basket until I was sure you wouldn't break."

"What?"

"I'm here to make a deal. I'll keep your secret, and I'll keep the baddies off your trail, if you leave me alone."

Kerri heard Dean mumble something behind her, probably a string of very colorful curses. She knew her answer should have been no, knew she couldn't sink to making deals with the things there were supposed to hunt. But times were changing, the world around her was changing, and the battle lines were no longer as clear as they had once been.

"You kill people." Kerri stated after a few moments.

"Only people who deserve it."

"That's splitting hairs."

"Semantics, splitting hairs, call it what you want. Those are my terms."

"And what if I say no?"

"One, I could kill you with my little finger. And two, you're not gonna say no."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because you know what's out there, you know where this is all gonna lead. You can't keep secrets in hell, Kerri, and the minute Johnny went down there a bunch of demons got it out of him. They know about you."

"How many know?"

"The news is still traveling pretty slow. I took out a few, but I think the word still go out."

"Why are you helping me?"

"Armies are building and the worlds are divided. Some believe old Yellow Eyes is the wave of the future, but most are siding with a new power."

"And you're siding with us?"

"There's a third option, and it's one I happen to believe in. And don't even try to play dumb with me. You know as well as I do who I mean."

"Alright. I'll agree, but Sam and Dean fall under that protection of yours."

"Even I don't have that kind of power, kid."

"Those are my terms."

"I'll do my best, then. By the way, I'd keep that bracelet close by, it's one hell of a trinket." And with that, the Trickster vanished.

Kerri closed her eyes, the weight of her decision falling down on her. She'd made a deal with a Trickster, but there was nothing else she could have done. Life was more than good guys and bad guys, more than heroes and monsters. Some wars were waged for ages, while the battles were fought in the blink of an eye. Soldiers and bystanders moved around the board in a strange synchronicity, pawns in a game they didn't understand. All Kerri could do was make her choice, and stand by it, no matter what.


	16. Chapter 16

_hello all. thank you all so, so much for all the great reviews-- you're all awesome!! _

_i was gonna wait to post, but with work and everything else, i wasn't sure when i'd get the chance. this is the final chapter of 'pawns'. thank you so much for sticking with it! it may be a little bit before i start with the next story in the series, but keep your eyes peeled, it'll be called-- 'on the turning away'. _

_enjoy!! :D_

**PAWNS**

Chapter 16

Dean sat on the hard barstool, his mind miles away, a slowly warming beer resting between his hands. So much had happened, too much, and the hunter was having trouble coming to terms with it all. Sam had regained consciousness about an hour after the Trickster had vanished, but to Dean, it may as well have been days. There was no sign of concussion, no injuries present to cause such a long period of unconsciousness. Sam was just out of energy, and Dean couldn't figure out why. But now Sam was resting, safe and sound, and Dean knew he had other things to deal with.

Kerri had been quiet since the encounter, vanishing to the parking lot after Jo and Ellen had helped get Sam situated. It was like a veil had fallen over all of them, a darkness seeping around them, wrapping each person in their own form of hell. Ash had explained that they were trapped outside, unable to help— but he didn't mention hearing the Trickster's words. Dean hadn't forgotten Gordon's revelation, and the young hunter tensed when he thought of what this all could mean.

The Trickster had promised to keep Kerri's secret, but it didn't have the power to stop every rumor or whisper in the hunting community. No, Dean was under the impression that the Trickster was focusing its efforts on the supernatural world only, leaving he and Sam to deal with the more human side of their problem. Dean's mind suddenly drifted to his father, to the image of John in hell. He knew his father cared for Kerri a great deal, like his own child in many ways, and because of that, Dean knew John wouldn't have given the redhead's secret up without a fight. The young hunter shuttered at the thought, taking a long drink of beer— he couldn't begin to imagine what his father was going through, what he was doomed to suffer. And, not for the first time, Dean wondered if his father's sacrifice was worth it.

Dean sighed, pushing away from the bar— they couldn't be divided. It was a tactic as old as war itself, divide and conquer, and Dean knew they couldn't afford to fall into that trap. Separation was the story of his life, and it had never ended well. He'd broken way from Kerri and her family had been killed. Sam had broken away for school and Jessica faced the consequences. And his father had broken away to hunt the Demon, and now he was trapped in hell. It was time to come together, to finally have a united front, because he knew that being apart would be the death of them.

He walked out into the dusty parking lot, the bright sun blinding after the darkness of the Roadhouse bar. It didn't take long to spot Kerri, but then, Dean didn't think it would. The redhead was sitting on the hood of the Impala, staring blankly out over the parking lot, her back to Dean. He stopped just outside the door, studying the girl he'd known most of his life. In so many ways, she was still Kerri, still the spitfire girl that beat up Timmy Collins, the kid that dyed him green on a dare. But there was still something missing, or maybe, something added. Thinking back to their youth one thing became painfully obvious— Kerri hadn't learned of her father's plans until she was older. Dean wasn't sure if she had started putting the pieces together before he left or if it was something she'd realized in his twelve year absence, but it was something she was blissfully unaware of when they were kids.

Dean's mind drifted back to a nearly forgotten night, back to a time when his life held promise, when he still believed there could be a future. It was the first time he'd met Kerri, and the first time he'd spoken with Tom Harrison alone. Tom was always a little distant, and Dean was slowly beginning to see why. But, that long ago night, the hunter was surprisingly honest with a then six year old Dean. He'd spoken about Kerri's meningitis, about her blindness, and a statement Tom made that night hit Dean like a tidal wave.

'_It's not really a secret, but I don't want her to feel any different than she already does.'_

At the time, Dean hadn't thought much of it. Kerri as different, there was no denying that. Not only was she fully aware of the hunting world at the age of six, but she was shunned by members of a very prominent and superstitious family. But now, after learning the truth and looking back over their lives, the statement took on a whole new meaning. Whatever Tom was doing to lock the memories away had already started to effect his daughter, had already started to alienate her at six years old.

Dean made his way to Kerri, resting his hand on the back of her neck, his heart clenching when she didn't even flinch. He figured she knew he was there, had heard him coming, but her utter lack of response was still numbing. Kerri knew everyone by the way they walked, it was a strange habit she had developed as a small child, and a talent she'd apparently never lost. And, for the first time, Dean wondered if it was a residual effect of her childhood blindness.

"You know I'm gonna have to check the hood for scuff marks."

"Good, 'cause I did a number on it."

"Funny."

"Look, Dean—." Kerri began, taking a deep breath, but Dean stopped her. He needed her to listen to him, needed to take charge.

"Don't apologize."

Kerri sniffed, bowing her head, and Dean realized instantly that he'd said the wrong thing. "Don't apologize 'cause it isn't your fault. Ker," Dean began, ducking his head to look her in the eyes, "I don't blame you for any of this."

"And what if it had killed Sam?"

Dean's heart froze. He'd be lying if he said Kerri's reaction to the Trickster's taunting hadn't terrified him. Dean trusted Kerri and that would never change. But the fact that she wouldn't give up the information, even when his little brother was threatened, sent shock waves through Dean's soul. Kerri was a realist, she always had been, and while Dean knew she cared for Sam a great deal, he also knew she looked at the big picture first.

Dean didn't have an answer to Kerri's quiet question, though. Had Sam died that day, well, he'd have gone ballistic. He knew in his heart it wouldn't have been Kerri's fault, but still, he couldn't say he wouldn't blame her if that reality ever came to pass. He just had to been more aware of his brother, step up his game— he was Sam's first, and only, line of defense.

"It didn't." Dean answered after a few minutes, sitting on the hood beside Kerri, his hands on his knees.

"I can't save him, Dean. I'm sorry."

"I never asked you to, that's always been my job."

"Yeah, I know. But, Dean, I can't be the cause of his death, I can't live with that."

"He's not gonna die, Kerri."

"What if something else tries to use him against me and you?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Dean stated after a moment, knowing where Kerri was going. He refused to admit it aloud, but he knew exactly what she was thinking, what had been weighing on his own heart. If it was a choice between Kerri's life or Sam's— Sam would always win.

Kerri's rough breath brought Dean back to the present, the girl rubbing her hand over her face, obviously trying to gain some sense of composure. They were all exhausted, but Dean didn't see rest coming anytime soon. They were at war now, that much was painfully clear, and if the Trickster's words were any indication, it was a war they'd be on the front lines of for the foreseeable future.

"I'm sorry about the Trickster." Kerri began after a few minutes, her voice still shaking, though she had gained some control over her emotions.

"You did what you had to do."

"I sold out."

"Let's not dwell on it."

"God, Dean, I'm just so tired."

"Hey, we'll fix this."

"How?"

"Well, our go to girl's out of commission, so it's time for the go to guy."

"Huh?"

"Bobby knows a lot, he's gotten us out a jams tons of times. Maybe he knows a way to erase what's in your head."

"Yeah, maybe."

"You don't have to go through this alone, Kerri. He'll you shouldn't have been alone with it this long. I'll take care of it. I'll fix it."

"What makes you so sure?" Kerri asked, though Dean could see a little bit of her usual fire returning to her eyes.

"Because I'm making a promise." Dean added with a smirk. "And I never break a promise."

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Ellen wiped down a few glasses, returning them to the shelves— she liked it when her bar was busy. She'd shut down while the Winchesters were there, knowing it was safer for all involved to keep the boys' location secret. But they'd driven back to Wyoming three days before hand, and while Ellen wished them well, she was happy to have her home back. When the bar was empty, she was left alone in silence, and in those quiet moments, her memories surfaced. That's why she liked the noise, liked the crowds— they drowned out her own racing mind.

They were at war, she knew it now, and if the resent week was any indication, it was a war unlike any they had witnessed before. Ellen's eyes drifted over to Jo, her daughter weaving her way around the tables, smiling and joking with the patrons. As a mother, all Ellen wanted to do was protect her child, give her a future, keep her healthy and safe. It was what everyone wanted for the next generation, to give them a world better than the one they had, to give them a safe future to walk into. But, as Ellen had learned, there were very few things she could actually control.

They'd lived in a quiet world as of late, the demons and monsters of the night keeping their distance, giving everyone a false sense of security. Ellen had been allowed to live in relative safety, had been able to let her guard down— but it was now painfully obvious that that wasn't to be her daughter's life. No, now she was forced to prepare the young blonde for war, and it wasn't fair. Life was supposed to be better for your children, safer, not the bleak darkness of a never ending tunnel.

Ellen eyed Jo again, the young girl having stopped by the back corner of the bar, flagged down by a hunter Ellen knew all too well. Bruce Chetling had been on deep cover the last the barmaid had heard, and whatever the job was, it had taken him away from the hunt for years. Now, though, he was back, and Ellen could see him falling into his old ways. His hair was shorter than she had remembered it, but obviously growing back, his beard not nearly as full as it should have been, a tell tale sign that he'd been clean shaven. He'd changed, and not just in appearance.

There was something different about him, Ellen could feel it. He seemed wilder, not that he was all that tame to begin with. She didn't know what hunt he'd been involved with, but whatever it was had left a lasting mark on the hunter. It was the same with many of the men and women that came through her bar. The more they hunted, the further and further away from reality they fell.

She moved closer to Jo and Bruce, wondering what the man could be saying to have her daughter so captivated. Jo spoke to everyone around the bar, but more often than not it was just in passing. The only topic that could ever really draw her attention was Sam and Dean Winchester, and Ellen could feel herself tense. Someone at the Roadhouse had spilled Sam's secret to Gordon Walker, and while Ellen knew her daughter would never knowingly sell the boys out, Jo had a very bad habit of talking way too much.

As she neared the conversation grew clearer.

"So, I take it school wasn't your thing?" Bruce questioned, downing a shot. He'd asked for the bottle and, as always, Ellen didn't question it.

"Nope. I tried, it wasn't right for me." Jo answered back, lost in the mystique of the hunting world.

"I never saw much point for it myself. Never done anyone a bit of good."

"Especially not if you're a hunter."

"Damn straight."

"So, where've you been? I haven't seen you since I was a teenager."

"Hunting, deep cover."

"Did you get it?"

"Yup, bastard didn't even see it coming. Best kind of kill."

Ellen could see her daughter had at least a little sense, the young woman shuttering at Bruce's blatant disregard for life. Chetling was one of the people Ellen truly feared. Like Gordon, he was one hell of a hunter, but he was also a loose cannon and didn't really have the knack for seeing the grey area in between.

"So, you just laying low for a while?" Jo asked, watching Bruce refill the shot glass.

"Nope, no rest for the weary. I'm researching a bit. Looking into some hunts."

"There's no shortage of them."

"I know, no shortage of hunters either. Met a couple on the hunt I was just on."

"That's weird."

"Not so much, it was kind of a big job. Heard a rumor they come around here, too. Maybe you could drop them my condolences if you see them."

"One of them died?" Jo's voice dropped, and Ellen felt her heart clench. Death was everywhere.

"A friend they had with them. Though I guess that's what comes with using people as bait. Heard their daddy died while I was under too, shame."

"I'll pass on the message."

"Thanks darling. Boys're named Winchester."

"Sam and Dean?"

"You know them?" Bruce leaned in.

Ellen tuned out the rest of the bar, listening intently as she pulled a few pints. Chetling sounded generally concerned, but things weren't always what they seemed.

"Yeah, they were here not too long ago. A friend of there's was hurt."

"Seems to be a trend with those two."

"Who died on the hunt?"

"Girl named Kerri."

"Harrison? She's not dead, she was here with them."

"You sure?" Bruce's eyebrows rose, the hunter sitting up straighter at the statement. "Redhead, tall, big mouth?"

"Yeah, that's her. Was she really hurt that bad?"

"Yeah, I thought she was a goner. Guess I was wrong. Do you by chance know where they've gone off to? I wanna check in on 'em, see how Kerri's doing."

"Jo," Ellen called to her daughter, seeing Jo getting ready to answer. Ellen had no doubt Bruce Chetling knew where Kerri lived, and while the Harrison house was one of the most secure locations Ellen knew, she didn't want her daughter sending anyone to their doorstep. "Could you check on the back tables, please."

"Sure." Jo began, grabbing a tray and heading away from Chetling.

"I was just being hospitable, Ellen." Bruce began when Jo was out of earshot.

"I know you were, and thank you kindly for it. But I'll just say this once, Bruce, leave the Winchesters alone, those boys've been through too much already."

"Like I said, I was just concerned."

"I'll be sure to pass on the message. Good night, Bruce."

The older hunter got the drift, tipping his head to Ellen and throwing some money on the bar before making his exit. Ellen just hoped she and Jo hadn't let too much information slip already. She contemplated calling Dean, but the boy already held a grudge against her. No, if they were gonna win this war they all had to trust each other, even if that meant keeping one another in the dark.

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Bruce Chetling sat in the cab of his truck, the windows rolled up against both the chill and any eavesdroppers there may be. He pulled out his cellphone, smiling to himself at the ease at which he'd gotten the information. Ellen really needed to do something about her daughter.

"This is Chetling," Bruce began, rubbing his tired eyes. "……. You were right, she's alive. All three were just at the Roadhouse………….. No, I don't know why— Ellen stepped in before I got it out of the kid……… You were right about that, too, girl can't stop talking……. No, she didn't mention anything about Sam, just that she'd seen them— recently, though…… I think it's all we'll get from the Roadhouse. Seems the boys are a little more protective than I thought, though, I doubt we'll get anything out of Kerri either…………. Trust me, if Sam's what you say he is, he needs to be stopped."

Bruce Chetling shut the phone, a sinister smile growing across his face. He loved the chase, in his mind, it was the best part of the hunt.


End file.
